Saturday, December 25, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
12/19/10 - Vunerability - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "The Beautiful Exchange" in this Sunday service.
The Beautiful Exchange Part 3 - Vunerability
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 19, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
The Beautiful Exchange:
Jesus put His life in our hands so we can put ours in His.
Vulnerability:
* Dangerous—living on the edge. Without vulnerability we will never change the world. Changing the world requires us to interact, connect and be vulnerable. The world’s system is conformity. Fit in so you can be replaced. Just another cog in the machine. You will never stand out if you blend in. The world sells us the lie that rebellion is the dangerous, living on the edge life. Not true—it is the safe way, no risk, just be like everybody else. The most radical person who ever walked the face of the earth was Jesus. He challenged the status quo. It is not surprising He was rejected and crucified. It is surprising they waited as long as they did to do it.
John 12:24-25 (Message) "Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.
Romans 12:1-2 (JBP) “With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give Him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable by Him. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”
* Swap the lies for the Truth (lies that keep us from becoming vulnerable). Our experiences, worldview, attitudes, and insecurities have resulted in building defenses that “protect us”. But protect us from what? Those defenses are actually obstacles that wall us off from our destiny. Our destiny—God’s plans and desires for us—carries with it the promise of life beyond our wildest dreams. Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, Gideon, David, Peter, Paul. What are the lies that have become your truth? What justifies your invulnerability?
Luke 11:34-36 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.”
Romans 1:16-17, 21-22, 25, 32 “16For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. 21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.”
* Perseverance and Endurance: Jesus was born a Jew and first took His message and ministry to the Jews. Historically, the Jews continually rejected God’s advances, betraying Him and choosing other gods and ways over Him. Yet, He continues to make them a target of His love and vulnerability.
John 1:11 “He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.”
Keys to A Vulnerable Life:
* You choose to whom you will be vulnerable and how vulnerable you will be. Many times we are hurt, feel betrayed or rejected, are disappointed or disillusioned, because we gave part of ourselves that should be given only to God. We gave away something valuable and it was treated like it was ordinary. We decide we will not be taken advantage of again and shut down our ability to influence others for the Kingdom.
Matthew 7:6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. (CEV: Don't give to dogs what belongs to God. They will only turn and attack you.) Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”
* Practice being unoffendable. When we “take offense” we fall prey to the bait that robs us of the life of God—we become “touchy and fretful”, our focus shifts from others to us, and we sacrifice Kingdom values and influence for our feelings. Our feelings and emotions become our standard instead of His Word. We find our insecurities again, build our own defense systems to insulate us, and end up isolated from others—trapped again by our invulnerability. If you think about the areas where you are most easily offended, it comes from a root of bitterness due to rejection. I am most easily offended when I feel you don’t think I am important. That comes from feeling like no matter what I did, it didn’t get noticed by my parents.
Matthew 11:6 (AMP) “And blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is he who takes no offense at Me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through Me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth.”
Matthew 24:10 (HCSB) “Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another.”
* Quit playing fair. “It’s not fair.” ‘Fair’ is the standard for an invulnerable life. Vulnerability, and the rich and satisfying life promised by Jesus, requires us to abandon the “fair” standard. Fair says “I’ll be good to you if you are good to me. But if you mess me up, I’ll get you.” That is the death of relationship and the destruction of Kingdom influence. Great relationships are not fair. When I am at my worst, I don’t need you to be fair, I need you to be better than me. Fair joins me in a downward spiral of destruction until the relationship finally is beyond repair.
Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
The Beautiful Exchange Part 3 - Vunerability
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 19, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
The Beautiful Exchange:
Jesus put His life in our hands so we can put ours in His.
Vulnerability:
* Dangerous—living on the edge. Without vulnerability we will never change the world. Changing the world requires us to interact, connect and be vulnerable. The world’s system is conformity. Fit in so you can be replaced. Just another cog in the machine. You will never stand out if you blend in. The world sells us the lie that rebellion is the dangerous, living on the edge life. Not true—it is the safe way, no risk, just be like everybody else. The most radical person who ever walked the face of the earth was Jesus. He challenged the status quo. It is not surprising He was rejected and crucified. It is surprising they waited as long as they did to do it.
John 12:24-25 (Message) "Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal.
Romans 12:1-2 (JBP) “With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give Him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable by Him. Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”
* Swap the lies for the Truth (lies that keep us from becoming vulnerable). Our experiences, worldview, attitudes, and insecurities have resulted in building defenses that “protect us”. But protect us from what? Those defenses are actually obstacles that wall us off from our destiny. Our destiny—God’s plans and desires for us—carries with it the promise of life beyond our wildest dreams. Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, Gideon, David, Peter, Paul. What are the lies that have become your truth? What justifies your invulnerability?
Luke 11:34-36 “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.”
Romans 1:16-17, 21-22, 25, 32 “16For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. 21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.”
* Perseverance and Endurance: Jesus was born a Jew and first took His message and ministry to the Jews. Historically, the Jews continually rejected God’s advances, betraying Him and choosing other gods and ways over Him. Yet, He continues to make them a target of His love and vulnerability.
John 1:11 “He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.”
Keys to A Vulnerable Life:
* You choose to whom you will be vulnerable and how vulnerable you will be. Many times we are hurt, feel betrayed or rejected, are disappointed or disillusioned, because we gave part of ourselves that should be given only to God. We gave away something valuable and it was treated like it was ordinary. We decide we will not be taken advantage of again and shut down our ability to influence others for the Kingdom.
Matthew 7:6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. (CEV: Don't give to dogs what belongs to God. They will only turn and attack you.) Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”
* Practice being unoffendable. When we “take offense” we fall prey to the bait that robs us of the life of God—we become “touchy and fretful”, our focus shifts from others to us, and we sacrifice Kingdom values and influence for our feelings. Our feelings and emotions become our standard instead of His Word. We find our insecurities again, build our own defense systems to insulate us, and end up isolated from others—trapped again by our invulnerability. If you think about the areas where you are most easily offended, it comes from a root of bitterness due to rejection. I am most easily offended when I feel you don’t think I am important. That comes from feeling like no matter what I did, it didn’t get noticed by my parents.
Matthew 11:6 (AMP) “And blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) is he who takes no offense at Me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through Me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth.”
Matthew 24:10 (HCSB) “Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another.”
* Quit playing fair. “It’s not fair.” ‘Fair’ is the standard for an invulnerable life. Vulnerability, and the rich and satisfying life promised by Jesus, requires us to abandon the “fair” standard. Fair says “I’ll be good to you if you are good to me. But if you mess me up, I’ll get you.” That is the death of relationship and the destruction of Kingdom influence. Great relationships are not fair. When I am at my worst, I don’t need you to be fair, I need you to be better than me. Fair joins me in a downward spiral of destruction until the relationship finally is beyond repair.
Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
12/12/10 - Overshadowed - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "The Beautiful Exchange" in this Sunday service.
The Beautiful Exchange Part 2 - Overshadowed
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 12, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Luke 1:35 “The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”
Matt 17:4-5 “Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
Overshadow: to be more important or significant by comparison
Philippians 3:8 “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”
So What?
1. Compare: make a habit of comparing, measuring, with God’s Word. It is the beginning of wisdom to “fear the Lord”—respect Him enough to ask His opinion. Proverbs 24:3-4 “A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.” (Proverbs 2:4-6 –all are granted by the Lord)
2. Use the right standard to compare: There is one plumb line—Jesus Christ. When we compare our plans, our desires, our ways to any other standard we miss the mark and fall short of all God has for us. Amos 7:7-9 (CEV) “The LORD showed me a vision of himself standing beside a wall and holding a string with a weight tied to the end of it. The string and weight had been used to measure the straightness of the wall. 8Then he asked, "Amos, what do you see?" "A measuring line," I answered. The LORD said, ""Look what I've done. I've hung a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. Their sacred places will be destroyed…”
3. Don’t believe your own press—good or bad. (Luke 5:15-16) Seek humility and living in the shadow of the Lord will become your worldview, your way of doing life. 1 Peter 5:5 “…And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
4. Pursue the “Overshadowed Way”—throw yourself into what God has for you. Don’t be hesitant to discard the old way, the old choices, just because “That’s the way I’ve always done it.” Stop making excuses and take responsibility. Quit focusing on what you “Can’t do” and start with what you “Can do.” There is no task too big when it is broken down into to small pieces. Make the Beautiful Exchange. Once you have found His way, go for it! Galatians 6:4 (MESSAGE) “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”
Psalm 91—the promise of the “Overshadowed Life”
The Beautiful Exchange Part 2 - Overshadowed
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 12, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Luke 1:35 “The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”
Matt 17:4-5 “Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
Overshadow: to be more important or significant by comparison
Philippians 3:8 “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ”
So What?
1. Compare: make a habit of comparing, measuring, with God’s Word. It is the beginning of wisdom to “fear the Lord”—respect Him enough to ask His opinion. Proverbs 24:3-4 “A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.” (Proverbs 2:4-6 –all are granted by the Lord)
2. Use the right standard to compare: There is one plumb line—Jesus Christ. When we compare our plans, our desires, our ways to any other standard we miss the mark and fall short of all God has for us. Amos 7:7-9 (CEV) “The LORD showed me a vision of himself standing beside a wall and holding a string with a weight tied to the end of it. The string and weight had been used to measure the straightness of the wall. 8Then he asked, "Amos, what do you see?" "A measuring line," I answered. The LORD said, ""Look what I've done. I've hung a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. Their sacred places will be destroyed…”
3. Don’t believe your own press—good or bad. (Luke 5:15-16) Seek humility and living in the shadow of the Lord will become your worldview, your way of doing life. 1 Peter 5:5 “…And all of you, serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
4. Pursue the “Overshadowed Way”—throw yourself into what God has for you. Don’t be hesitant to discard the old way, the old choices, just because “That’s the way I’ve always done it.” Stop making excuses and take responsibility. Quit focusing on what you “Can’t do” and start with what you “Can do.” There is no task too big when it is broken down into to small pieces. Make the Beautiful Exchange. Once you have found His way, go for it! Galatians 6:4 (MESSAGE) “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.”
Psalm 91—the promise of the “Overshadowed Life”
Saturday, December 11, 2010
12/08/10 - What's A Party Without Gifts PT12 - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "What's A Party Without Gifts?" with part 12 in this Wednesday service.
What's A Party Without Gifts? Part 12
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
What's A Party Without Gifts? Part 12
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
12/05/10 - The Beautiful Exchange 1115 - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore begins a new series entitled "The Beautiful Exchange" in this Vision Sunday service.
The Beautiful Exchange
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 5, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
The Beautiful Exchange
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 5, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
12/05/10 - Jesus' Christmas List - Pastor Tony Ashmore
Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches about "Jesus' Christmas List" in this Vision Sunday service.
Jesus Christmas List
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 5, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Vision Sunday: December 2010
Jesus’ Christmas List—Remembering the “Wish Book”
Luke 15: 3 stories about Jesus’ Christmas List.. Religion “triggered” these stories. (Message) “I’m not religious. I have a real relationship with Jesus.” Remember: Relationship without passion is religion. These stories tell the tale of that. Are we distracted with what distracts Jesus, or are we religious?
- Lost sheep—outside the house. Those not yet in our circle of influence. These are who the church is for—those not here yet.
- Lost coin—inside the house. Those in our circle of influence. This is the ones in our own house, our church, who are backing off, playing games, living a lie.
- Lost son—those closest to us. This is the people we are with the most—our family, our best friends.
Jesus is teaching that he loves those he has found but is distracted by those still lost.
Are we distracted by the lost and the hurting? Are we throwing parties when someone finds Jesus? Do we come to the party? Are we making sure we are the party people want to come to?
Jesus wants a distracted church for Christmas.
How: Deal with the Ghosts that Distract Us
* The Ghost of Christmas Past—Put our behind in the past. The life of “regret” is distracted by what could have been. 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.”
* The Ghost of Christmas Present: What is distracting me now? Why does something distract us? Because it gets our attention. It keeps our attention if we develop a passion for it.
1 Corinthians 7:29-35 “But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away. I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.”
(Paul is using this as an example of distraction by things present, not establishing a doctrine of leaving marriage. He is encouraging an “and” lifestyle instead of an “either-or” one that the world demands. Love God first with everything in you and you will be more empowered to love others properly, including yourself.)
* The Ghost of Christmas Future: Are we living in a way that increases our Kingdom influence? Is Discipleship on our radar or are our future plans all about us? What are we giving our energy to that is temporal instead of eternal?
1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
* Embrace the Holy Ghost:
2 Corinthians 3:18 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”
Romans 8:9-11 (MESSAGE) “But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's!”
* Party like Heaven.
Make sure you see our church as the hope of the world. It is God’s hope. It can never be about the ones who are here. It must be about who is not here yet. Every week, be intentional in telling someone about Jesus and your church. When here, be intentional about making connections. Watch for the new face and become their friend. It is your job to make sure we stay distracted by being a party church. Luke 15:8 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
Jesus Christmas List
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 5, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Sermon Notes:
Vision Sunday: December 2010
Jesus’ Christmas List—Remembering the “Wish Book”
Luke 15: 3 stories about Jesus’ Christmas List.. Religion “triggered” these stories. (Message) “I’m not religious. I have a real relationship with Jesus.” Remember: Relationship without passion is religion. These stories tell the tale of that. Are we distracted with what distracts Jesus, or are we religious?
- Lost sheep—outside the house. Those not yet in our circle of influence. These are who the church is for—those not here yet.
- Lost coin—inside the house. Those in our circle of influence. This is the ones in our own house, our church, who are backing off, playing games, living a lie.
- Lost son—those closest to us. This is the people we are with the most—our family, our best friends.
Jesus is teaching that he loves those he has found but is distracted by those still lost.
Are we distracted by the lost and the hurting? Are we throwing parties when someone finds Jesus? Do we come to the party? Are we making sure we are the party people want to come to?
Jesus wants a distracted church for Christmas.
How: Deal with the Ghosts that Distract Us
* The Ghost of Christmas Past—Put our behind in the past. The life of “regret” is distracted by what could have been. 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.”
* The Ghost of Christmas Present: What is distracting me now? Why does something distract us? Because it gets our attention. It keeps our attention if we develop a passion for it.
1 Corinthians 7:29-35 “But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away. I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.”
(Paul is using this as an example of distraction by things present, not establishing a doctrine of leaving marriage. He is encouraging an “and” lifestyle instead of an “either-or” one that the world demands. Love God first with everything in you and you will be more empowered to love others properly, including yourself.)
* The Ghost of Christmas Future: Are we living in a way that increases our Kingdom influence? Is Discipleship on our radar or are our future plans all about us? What are we giving our energy to that is temporal instead of eternal?
1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.”
2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
* Embrace the Holy Ghost:
2 Corinthians 3:18 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”
Romans 8:9-11 (MESSAGE) “But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's!”
* Party like Heaven.
Make sure you see our church as the hope of the world. It is God’s hope. It can never be about the ones who are here. It must be about who is not here yet. Every week, be intentional in telling someone about Jesus and your church. When here, be intentional about making connections. Watch for the new face and become their friend. It is your job to make sure we stay distracted by being a party church. Luke 15:8 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
Thursday, December 2, 2010
12/1/10 - Connections - Jay Mann
Jay Mann teaches on the power of "Connections" in this Wednesday evening service.
Connections
Jay Mann
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
Connections
Jay Mann
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
www.mylifegatechurch.com
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A Life-Giving Church for People Just Like You!
Whether you are full of questions or ready to jump right in, there is a place for you at LifeGate Church at Mirror Lake. Our church is a place where you can build relationships with others, experience God in worship, be empowered by practical, life-giving teaching from God's Word, and have fun doing it.
Together, we are living the Winner's Life as we learn to love, serve, reach, grow and connect. So whether you're a spiritual seeker starting to ask questions about God, or a committed Christian looking to sink your faith roots even deeper, you'll feel at home at LifeGate Church at Mirror Lake.
If you believe Jesus really meant it when He said, "I came so people can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of," (John 10:10 Message Translation) then join us this weekend at one of our Jesus Celebrations. Until then, browse our website (a link is on the right of this page) where you'll find lots of helpful info and feel free to download one of our service messages or subscribe to our weekly podcast where you will receive the fresh, life-giving Word of God.
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