Building Activity - Edifying Message

The power point used to facilitate Friday night's message. (7/22/2011)

http://bit.ly/nk3Khs

Simon George: The Gospel

1 Corinthians 1:17-18

"I pray that if someone came to hear me speak that they would be greatly disappointed. And if they cam clinging to the hope of hearing Your Word, that they would be satisfied."

On being 'saved'

• If we were in peril, who would we elect to save?
• Answer = Save the best
• Gospel = Not for the best only, it is for all
• Verse 29 is a conclusion - Nobody boasts
• Vs 30-31: Do not boast in our abilities in the Lord. Take ourselves out.

1 Corinthians 2

• Verse 1 - Paul is an example
• What do you have that is not from God?
• If nothing, then why are you boasting?
• In the Lord, you see who you are.
• The Gospel's power
• The fact that people like us can be saved.
• It should stop us cold and close our tongues.
• The gospel is misunderstood because of pride, selfishness & boasting
• 'being saved' Not just good for evangelization, it sanctifies.

Colossians 1:3-6

• Vs 3 - Praying always = When I pray, I mention you.
• Thanks for their faith
• Relief & blessing / great gratitude
• Love for the saints
• Love is found in great actions of service & interest in lives
• Hope laid in heaven
• What we have to look forward to collectively, namely, blessing.
• Hope = Christ, in you. This alone is worth being thankful for.
• Vs 6 - Them, specifically
• The world constantly bearing fruit
• Just as is YOU
• The saints / believers
• Personally through you
• Vs 9-11 - What does this fruit look like?
• It's pretty delicious
• Let's hold each other accountable.

Romans 1:8-15

The gospel is in the first chapter of the epistles = importance

• The point of the gospel - Paul wants to meet the believers and preach the gospel -- it's still needed.
• The gospel:
• Humbles us
• Causes us to grow
• Should be shared among us
• Should be reflexive
• Should be encouraging

Dr. Mike Gaynier - What do the eyes tell us about God?

James 1:16-26 - Examine the Eyes

• He wants us to see his beautiful creation.
• We can appreciate beauty because He does.

Remember the laws of the following mentions:

1. First
2. Full
3. Final

First Mention:

• Gen. 3:5 ... the serpent. Open the eyes
• More than physical sight = spiritual
• Gen. 6:8 ... in God's Eyes.
• Grace in God's eyes.
• God has eyes of grace.
• Gen. 13:10 ... Lot's Choice
• Eyeballs - Man looks up, it is a humbled position.
• What you see may not be the best.

Final Mention

• Revelation 21:4
• Wipe tears from the eyes
• Revelation 22:4 = Restoration

The Lord Jesus Christ's Eyes

• Luke 6:20
• Eyes were on His disciples
• Always has time for His own
• John 6:5 - Concern for the crowd
• John 11:41 & 17:1
• Looking to others
• Lifted up eyes - Humbled
• Rev. 1:14 - Perfect knowledge, insight and scrutiny.
• He sees the things we'd rather keep hidden.

The Eye & Sin

• In general - The curse
• Aging of the eyes
• Specifically as follows:
• Red eyes - Alcohol abuse
• Optic Nerve - Poor nutrition
• Attack
• Trauma
• Drugs
• STDs
• Old Testament Law
• Eye for an eye
• Eye can be an instrument of sin
• Looking at people with lust
• How much would you sell an eye for?
• Here is what you would lose
• Depth perception
• Side vision
• A spare
• You would only gain financial freedom
• What would you do to get victory over sin?

Laodocia - Revelation 3:18-19

Blindness is the diagnosis / Eye salve is the treatment

• The cure may hurt a little, but He wants to help you in the end.

"I am saved by my good looks. I got a good look at myself. Then got a good look at my savior."

Calvin Fritchey - Proverbs 18

Three Thoughts:

1. Getting out of the world
2. Getting into God
3. Getting a wife

Verse 1 - Positive & Negative Connotations

• [ - ] Thinking you are better and become obstinate
• When we have only one influence -- only people who agree with us.
• Should we follow our heart? Jer. 17:9-10 NO!
• Prov. 28:26
• 1 Sam. 16:7
• Jer. 49:16
• Heb. 4:12
• Rom. 3:10
• 2 Cor. 5:17
• Pov. 3:5-8
• [ + ] Seeking to do well, he can find truth.
• Remember Proverbs 1, the purpose of the book.
• Separate yourself in a good way
• Don't be like the world
• 2 Cor. 6:17
• Gather together = Intermeddle
• Heb. 10:25
• 1 Cor. 15:58

Verse 10 - The Name of the Lord

• Isa. 42:8
• Ex. 4 => I AM
• Gethsemane = I AM
• Ps. 113 = Praise to the Lord's name
• Ex. 20:7
• Cities of refuge: Refuge from mistakes
• We can be forgiven and made holy.

Conclusion

Are we in the tower and bearing fruit for Him?

Mike Atwood: Assembly Fellowship

Discipline in Assembly Fellowship

Psalm 119:63

1 Timothy 4:7-8

Hebrews 10:23-25

Exercise Thyself

• Gymnasium = rigor and discipline
• "You will never just drift into godliness. If you think you will, you are living on a different planet! It's not going to happen."

Olympics

• Represent your country
• Likewise, we represent our Lord

Military

• Work together for the whole
• Likewise, we must operate as a unit

"You are not in God's will if you are a spiritual drifter."

1 John 1:1-4

• Know Christ first, then fellowship with us.
• We don't want you in fellowship with us if you are not right with God.

Acts 2:41-42

• Pattern: Saved > Baptized > Fellowship (Acts 10:44-48)
• It's a command
• Fail at the first hurdle, and you won't win the race.

Fellowship = Partnership

• Share work / Share reward
• Can you expect blessing without the responsibility?
• Christ wants us to have zeal for God's house.

Steadfast - Stick to like glue

• How devoted are you?
• Are you apathetic?

Romans 12:1-6

• Rational response, use your life in a humble way for the local assembly.
• A working body
• How you view your assembly is in terms of your spiritual gift.

"A surrendered life, devoted to building God's work is exactly what God's will is for your life."

"The good news is, today is the beginning of the rest of your life. Praise God, past failure does not determine the rest of your life."

"The problem with fellowship is the people."

• We must deal with issues
• This is a life decision.

"You will love the assembly & truth of God when you make it your own."

Notes: Mike Atwood on Prayer

1 Timothy 4:7-8

1 Peter 4:7-11

Topic = Disciplines of the Christian Life

• A way to avoid Church division
• We need [discipline] in our life.
• God does not put our life together on a silver platter.

(Timothy passage) Exercise = Gymnasium, where they practiced naked

• We must work hard to train
• We are striving for the greatest prize & we must be disciplined
• Prayer requires the utmost discipline

(Peter pasage) 

• "If you knew the Lord was coming back this week, what would you do differently? Then do it!"
• "Action without spending time in prayer is futile. Action without intercession only brings frustration."
• In light of current events, we need more devotion to prayer.
• Jesus prayed and influenced his disciples as to what to pray...
• Seek God's will
• If Jesus saw the value in prayer, who are we to think we can manage without?
• Am I disciplined? Do I have set times to pray?

Luke 18:1

• Don't give up
• It's indebted to us
• Prayer is...
• An expression of dependency on God.
• Communication with God.
• A plea for intervention.
• Habits: Do it for 21 days and see if it sticks
• Get into a good habit.

Colossians 2:1 - Conflict = Agony

• How serious are you [when you pray]?
• [Do we have] routines and ruts?
• What do we pray for--ourselves?
• There is a conflict in this world, and the battle is spiritual.
• Hang on until He blesses
• You may be crippled, then lean on Him
• Pray with an open Bible
• Remind God of His promises like: He does not was people to perish

James 4:2-3

• Why we don't get what we want.
• We are self-focused.

Prayers of the New Testament

• Growth
• To know God's will
• To have [increased] love
• About the Spiritual Life more than physical things

1 Timothy 2:1-8 - Corporate Prayer

• Prayer meeting: Conduct in the House of God (verse 8)
• Men: Gender specific.
• Taking the lead.
• No wrath: Deal with sin and issues before praying.
• No doubting: Confidence in who He is.

The Power of Women's Prayer

• Eli, the priest is an example...
• His son's were evil
• The men were spiritually inept
• Hannah prays for Samuel, who meets the needs of a nation.
• The Wesley brothers were raised by a praying mother.
• Ladies prayed that D. L. Moody would experience God, he did & it re-energized his ministry.

Conclusion

• We need to be more disciplined in personal & corporate prayer.
• We need both New Testament principles & New Testament power.