09/23/12 - Storm Chasers PT4 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore concludes the series "Storm Chasers" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Storm Chasers Part 4
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, September 23, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

My Boat is Sinking

Matthew 14:24-27 “Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for astrong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am
here!”

1 Peter 1:13 (NLT) "So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to thegracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world."

1. An Anchor for the Soul: The trap of the storm is the ‘overwhelming of the soul’—it begins to dominate our mind, will, reasons and emotions (soul). Peter teaches us recognize this and seek the Holy Spirit’s help in keeping our soul in line with God’s Spirit. (Note the initial reaction of the disciples seeing Jesus—this man with whom they were very familiar: they didn’t recognize Him! They thought He was a ghost. When the storm becomes the focus of our souls, everything is distorted and scary. But once they recognized Jesus, the storm is no longer the focus.)

2. Truth as my Compass: We lose our bearings in the midst of the storm, saying and doing things we might not normally say or do. Peter encourages us to exercise self-control by ‘knowing what we are to do’. The Truth is the source of that information. It stops the compass needle from spinning and points to the answer. (Note the effect of Jesus walking on water to reach the disciples during a storm: The storm was getting all the attention but at His appearance all the attention shifts to Jesus—in fact, the story shifts from being about a storm to being about Jesus and His power. We move from being ‘trapped’ in a horrible storm to an exciting ‘walking on water’ adventure.)

3. Elevate Jesus: When we become our agenda in the storm, we become ‘storm chasers’ as described in Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6. We fall for the trap and the storm becomes all about us—how it effecting us, hurting us, bothering us, etc. By looking forward and elevating Jesus—making Him and the Kingdom—our agenda stays pure and our goal moves from ‘me winning’, or ‘me surviving’, to ‘Jesus being glorified’ no matter what. (The goal of the storm was to sink the boat and stop the forward movement of the Kingdom. In spite of the storm still raging all around them, simply making Jesus the center of attention instead of the storm, disarmed the power of the storm and changed the goals of every disciple. No longer was their goal to simply ‘survive the storm’ their goal became ‘walking in the power of Jesus.’ Not one more mention of the storm—everything is about
Jesus and the Kingdom now.)


So What? What Really Matters?

Philippians 1:10 “For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.”

Peter encourages us “not to slip back, doing what we have done out of habit” but to stay focused on Jesus, understanding that the real victory, the ultimate goal, in every storm is Jesus being exalted. John 21: Peter and Jesus share breakfast and a walk on the beach.  Jesus has prepared fish on a charcoal fire. The last charcoal fire they shared was the one in the chief priest’s courtyard where Peter had denied even knowing Jesus, cursing Him.

Know Jesus has brought him back to the place of that ‘storm’ to restore him. Jesus asks Peter 3 times “Do you love me?” using the agapao word for love which means the God kind of love. Peter responds with phileo, “Yes Lord I love you like a brother.” Jesus then tells Peter how his life will end. If Peter’s love for Jesus doesn’t make the leap from “I love you like a brother” to “You are my God and I love you with the God-kind of love” then Peter will not win that final storm—his own crucifixion. Peter, when told he would crucified like Jesus since he loved Him so much asked to be crucified upside down because he was unworthy of dying in the same manner as his Lord (agapao, not phileo).  When anyone walked by that cross, they stopped and asked, ‘Why is that man crucified upside down?’ Peter made sure the answer pointed to Jesus and not him. What really matters in every storm is who gets glorified, who gets the attention, who is exalted? Peter learned what really matters and knocked it out of the ballpark. All the result of thinking clearly, exercising self-control and looking forward toward Jesus. I think he would tell you that when Jesus was glorified in that one, he won—in spite of the fact that the storm resulted in his own death. “Death, where is your sting?”

3 Simple Keys: (1 Peter 1:14-16 MSG “Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.”)
• Don’t slip back into old habits and ways of responding.
• Look forward with all your hope in the grace of Jesus.
• Define the ‘real win’—Jesus glorified.

09/19/12 - Finding the Rhythm of Grace PT3 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Finding the Rhythm of Grace" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Finding the Rhythm of Grace PT3
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, September 19, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

09/16/12 - Storm Chasers PT3 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Storm Chasers" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Storm Chasers Part 3
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, September 16, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

Proverbs 10:25 "When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation." (TNIV: When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.)

2 Timothy 2:1 “You then…be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Keep doing what you are doing and you'll keep getting what you're getting.  Doing the same thing and expecting different results is crazy.  Tired of walking away from the storm feeling beaten and broken?  Gotta change the 'dance', develop a new 'video' in our mindset. God changes us by changing the way we think. 

Again, what are my 'agendas'?  Am I being swept away or standing firm?  The answer will reveal whether my agenda (which is driven by my words, attitude, and actions) is 'wicked' (any agenda other than a Kingdom agenda-there is no gray area in this as much as we want one.  There are only 2 worldviews.) or 'righteous'.  Get honest with this answer and the solutions become obvious.  Keep justifying, rationalizations, or denying and keep getting swept away.

Righteous:  We have no righteousness on our own.  Our righteousness is a result of grace.  Ephesians 2:8 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”  So the righteous stand firm forever through life’s storms through grace.  Grace is our storm preparation kit.

What's in your storm preparation kit?
1.    Enabling Grace (1 Timothy 1:12):  Enables us to do what we aren’t able to do on our own.  Through enabling grace “we are able to do all things…”
2.    Exceeding Grace (Ephesians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 9:8): Grace that exceeds, trumps, anything we face. Grace that causes us to abound in times of lack.
3.    Establishing Grace: (Hebrews 13:9):  Grace that firmly establishes us in God’s Word and Ways
4.    Emergency Grace (Hebrews 4:16):  Grace that helps in times of need

1 Peter 1:13 (HCSB) “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

09/12/12 - Finding the Rhythm of Grace PT2 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Finding the Rhythm of Grace" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Finding the Rhythm of Grace PT2Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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09/09/12 - Storm Chasers PT2 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Storm Chasers" in this Sunday celebration.

Storm Chasers PT2
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, September 9, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

Hurricane Hunters: Finding Storms Before Storms Find Us

John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  Peace ‘in me’ vs. storms ‘on earth’.  Note the location of trials, sorrows, storms = on earth, in this world.  The Big Idea of this message is for us to find the storms before the storms find us—be Hurricane Hunters.  There are storms that we chase, but there are also storms that are we all will face because we have an enemy.  Don’t wait until those storms are ‘on earth’—in the flesh and blood realm which is where satan is best equipped—find them and offensively disarm them in the spiritual realms. 

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Note Paul’s wording:  a fight (indicating opposition), a race (indicating competition), kept the faith (indicating temptation).  We have an enemy and we will face ‘storms’ that are not of our own choosing or making, but simply because satan hates Jesus and anyone who belongs to Jesus.  Those who don’t belong to Jesus don’t escape because they have the ‘potential’ to follow Him.  “Rains on the just and unjust”.  Both houses (sand and rock) face the storms. 
But we can have an ‘early warning system’ that will help us stop the storms before they become Category 5 hurricanes. 

2 Corinthians 10:3-4 “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.”

Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

In Ephesians 6:12 Paul gives us a ‘hierarchical view’ of spiritual warfare.  From ‘highest to lowest’ it is as follows:
Highest:    Spiritual Hosts of Wickedness in the Heavenly Places
        Rulers of the Darkness of This Age
        Powers
        Principalities
Lowest:    Flesh and Blood

The way these ‘storms’ of demonic opposition manifest in our lives could be categorized the same way hurricanes are: Category 1 to Category 5.  The Category rises as we allow the ‘storm’ to descend through the ranks of opposition.  In other words, if we engage the ‘storm’ with God’s mighty weapons at the ‘Spiritual Hosts’ level it will be a Category 1 storm—the easiest to withstand without damage.  But if we allow it to progress without opposition, each level increase the likelihood of damage from the storm.  When it manifests at the ‘flesh and blood’ level it is a full-blown Category 5 storm and we are forced to engage it on our enemy’s battleground (note 2 Corinthians 10:3-4).  In other words the more we allow the storm to descend through the spiritual ranks, the lower it goes, the more equipped our enemy becomes.  Our equipment is meant for the ‘high places’.  If we learn to sense the ‘storm’ with ‘early warning devices’ then we engage our enemy on Heaven’s terms instead of hell’s terms. 
Too many of us don’t even know a storm is approaching until it shows up in our lives, then we are forced into ‘survival mode’—just trying to minimize the damage and survive the storm.  Had we confronted and addressed the ‘storm’ in the higher realms with God’s weapons we would have sustained less physical, emotional, mental, financial, relational damage. 

So how do we do that?  It’s back to the ‘agenda’ thing—do we have a Kingdom agenda or are we pursuing our own agendas—chasing “wealth, satisfaction/fulfillment, happiness/pleasure, and popularity”.  Yes, there are ‘costs’ to being Kingdom-minded, but there are huge rewards.  One of those rewards is being sensitive to what God sees and hears.  Seeing ‘what cannot be seen’.  Jesus: “Blessed are those who believe and do not see.”  Blessed life!

Practically, here are the things that move us ‘up’ in the heavenly realms, empowering us to engage the storms before they appear:

1.   Connections:  local church, connect groups, GROW.  Is your ‘inner circle’ standing with you in the heavenly places or are they simply ‘flesh and blood’ comrades?
2.   The Word: our ‘sword’—our offensive weapon is the Word.  The more skilled we are with our sword, the less we will find ourselves in a ‘defensive posture’.
3.   Prayer, Fasting, Giving:  moving beyond convenient or emergency prayer and comfortable fasting to the kind of ‘training’ great athletes do to prepare.  Jesus won his greatest battle (Calvary) at Gethsemane.  Before it ever got to the ‘flesh and blood’ realm, he had won.  Note how he did it:  connections (he had his inner circle with him), the Word (he prayed according to the Scripture), submitting his agenda (not my will but yours), intense prayer and fasting.  A person who will fast consistently will always know the mind of the Lord accurately and will always grow.  Become ‘prayer-mandated’ instead of ‘schedule driven’.  Jesus moved from place of prayer to place of prayer and never let His schedule compromise His prayer.  Generosity as a lifestyle—to honor God’s gifts to us and to keep ourselves dependent on His provision.
4.   Embracing the Holy Spirit.  (“The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”)
5.   Submission to Authority  (Jesus—“not my will, but yours.) 

The more of these we activate in our lives, the higher we ascend into the heavenlies and the sooner we are able to sense and confront ‘storms’ of opposition.

09/05/12 - Finding the Rhythm of Grace PT1 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore begins a new series entitled "Finding the Rhythm of Grace" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Finding the Rhythm of Grace PT1
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, September 5, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

09/02/12 - Storm Chasers PT1 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore begins the series "Storm Chasers" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Storm Chasers Part 1
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, September 02, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Study now: Download the Sermon Notes (requires Adobe Reader)


Sermon Notes:

Deuteronomy 28:2 (HCSB) “All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the Lord your God.”  

1 Corinthians 10:13 “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” 

1. Agendas (motives), Attitudes, Actions and Words: Which Storm Are You Chasing?

In the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus gives four blessings that are similar to the beatitudes in Matthew. Luke 6:20-22 says you a blessed if you are poor, are hungry, weep or are hated by men for Jesus' sake. Here in Luke 6:24-26, however, Jesus goes on to offer four corresponding woes. Woe to you if you are rich, full, laughing and people speak well of you.

Think about the four things Jesus mentions: wealth, satisfaction, happiness/pleasure and popularity/fame. What do we spend most of our time seeking after? Wealth. Satisfaction. Happiness. Popularity.

We would like more money to be able to do more things. We want to be satisfied and not have to think about any of the material troubles in life. We look to avoid all the things that may bring sadness. We desperately seek the approval and applause of others.

More than likely, one of these things that Jesus said would be a curse in your life is the very thing that so often fights for supremacy within us. Most of our idols are going to fall in one of these four areas.

You probably recognize the area where you are tempted the most.

Again, there is nothing necessarily wrong with any of those things in and of themselves. They become areas of sin when we spend our life chasing after one or more of them.

The sad reality is that when you chase those things you find them to be sand. You can never hold on to it as long as you want. There's always more lying around you that can never be grabbed. When you seek after those things, you never have enough and you never have it for long enough.

Our life ends up in a self-induced curse because our chase is a perpetual one, running around the hamster wheel, never able to reach what we are running after. There is no need to see this as the result of superstition when we inflict the woes on ourselves with our insatiable desire for temporal things that can never truly satisfy.

We can have blessings within an abundant life characterized by following our Savior or we can have curses within a never satisfied life characterized by bitterness and discontent.

What curse are you chasing when you should be seeking the Kingdom and righteousness of Christ? What pile of shifting sand are you making into an idol instead of building your life on a solid foundation?


2. Storms cannot be avoided.  How wet you get is often up to you.
Jesus gives the anti-dote in the same teaching (Luke 6:43-49):

The Tree and Its Fruit

43 “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 44 A tree is identified by its fruit. Figs are never gathered from thornbushes, and grapes are not picked from bramble bushes. 45 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart. (Don’t focus on the fruit—trying to change the fruit is ‘fruitless’—figs don’t grow on thornbushes or grapes on bramble. 

Building on a Solid Foundation

46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? The “Lord”-ship power is in what He says.  He is everyone’s savior, but just like Heaven—it is not the Savior part that gets you there, it is the Lord-ship.  He saved everyone but that salvation is only ‘effective’ for the ones who accept it.  His Lord-ship is available to everyone but it is only effective to those who accept it.  Jesus as Savior means He took my ‘place’.  Jesus as Lord means I take ‘His place’.   47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

There is a difference in a life with trouble and a troubled life.  We all have trouble, but some have trouble-filled lives.  Sometimes those trouble-filled lives started out as a pursuit of wealth, happiness/pleasure, fame/popularity, or satisfaction.  They don't remember that, or admit it, because the start of the chase is a distant memory.  All they remember now is trouble, not the initiation of a chase that Jesus said would bring woe.


3. The Umbrella Principle

Using a large and small umbrella to illustrate the protection of God during the 'storm' and how our words, actions and willing obedience can either widen or shrink that protected area.  When we choose to chase the curse instead of being chased down by the blessing because of our lifestyle choices we will have a smaller 'tolerance zone' for 'getting wet'. 

Luke 10:18-20 (Message) Jesus said, "I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that's the agenda for rejoicing."

08/29/12 - Relationships 101 PT5 - Everett Spencer

Everett Spencer continues the series "Relationships 101" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Relationships 101 PT5
Wednesday, August 29, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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08/26/12 - The Table - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "The Table" in this Vision Sunday celebration.

The Table
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, August 26, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

Luke 22:29-30 “And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now
grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom.”

1 Corinthians 10:16 “When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we
sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we
sharing in the body of Christ?”

The Local Church as the ‘Table of the Lord’: (Acts 20:28 “So guard
yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church,
purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed
you as elders.”)


1. Seats at the table: Exodus 25:30 “Place the Bread of the Presence on the
table to remain before me at all times.” Jesus is ‘The Bread of Life’. The
Table is His Church—‘I will build my church’—Seats at the table are defined
by Jesus, and therefore are the target of our enemy. If we don’t have these
seats at the table, we are not a church.

• Lost, hurting, next generation (unconnected and disconnected)
• New believers
• Mature believers
• Pastor/Leaders (Note Acts 20:28—This chair feeds. This chair is one
reason ‘just doing church in my house or at the coffee shop’ is not
church—there is no ‘delegated authority’ from Heaven being exercised.
We must get under what God puts us under before we will get over what
God has put us over. Example of the enemy’s plan to remove this seat
from the table: Pastor Larry Stockstill’s dress code and the choice of
some to ignore it.)
• There is another seat, not at the table, but crying for the attention of those
at the table, especially the Pastor/Leaders—The ‘Why Chair’. Questioning
everything. Enough ‘whys’, ‘what abouts’ and ‘ hows’ will dismantle any
vision. If the Pastor/Leader turns to give attention to the Why Chair, then
the other 3 chairs are not receiving the benefit of the gift Christ gave the
church. 1 Corinthians 10:21 “You cannot drink from the cup of the
Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s
Table and at the table of demons, too.”


2. Getting as many people to the table as possible: Psalm 128:3b “…Your
children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your
table.”

Luke 14:23 (TNIV) “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the
roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house
(banquet table) will be full.”

• Who are we inviting to the table with us as we serve the Lord? (note the
scripture where Jesus asks who is greatest—those sitting at the table or
those serving the table? He replies that the world’s system says those
sitting at the table, but not His system. Those serving are the greatest.
When we get more people to the table rather than just doing it ourselves
we are ‘greater in the Kingdom’. Luke 22:27 “Who is more important,
the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who
sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one
who serves.”) Once we have ‘come to the table’, we must become those
who get others to the table. It’s all about Harvest, souls. I don’t do things
alone because it shrinks the harvest.

08/22/12 - Relationships 101 PT4 - Pastor Sheryll Ashmore

Pastor Sheryll Ashmore continues the series "Relationships 101" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Relationships 101 PT4
Pastor Sheryll Ashmore
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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08/19/12 - Outrageous Contageous Joy PT3 - Pastor Michael Adams

Pastor Michael Adams continues the series "Outrageous Contageous Joy" with Part 3 in this Sunday morning celebration.

Outrageous Contageous Joy PT3
Pastor Michael Adams
Sunday, August 19, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

Outrageous, Contagious Joy - Joy at Work

Intro: Pick the one that best describes your view of work
-   Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.   Confucius
-   If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my ax.   Abraham Lincoln
-   It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man.   Benjamin Franklin
-   Work is a refuge of people who have nothing better to do.   Oscar Wilde
-   Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.   Thomas Edison
-   Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.   Sam Ewing                   


Gift of Work

Genesis 2:15
The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

-   Work was a part of God’s original plan Genesis 1-3
-   We think God created us to live a life of leisure until Adams and Eve messed it up
-   Work was not a result of curse. After the curse Eve experienced pain in the work of child birth and Adam would have to endure the back breaking task of growing his own food.
-   God gave it to us to use our creativity and to find fulfillment
It’s an opportunity to live in His image and to have fun


Opportunity to Worship

Colossians 3:23-24
23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

Ephesians 6:7-8 SOAP VERSE
7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.


-   For many ones profession and spiritual condition are two separate things. Jesus tells us that they are very much intertwined
-   Ultimately we are not working for a human boss we are serving the Creator that has endowed us with gifts and passions. We are working for God!
-   This way of thinking will change the course of your career, change how you feel about difficult people, changes your drive and motivation


Worshipers or Workaholics?

Ex. Deep Sea fishing with the family
-   When you are afraid, look at the captain. When your sea sick fix your eyes on something that doesn’t move
-   Find joy in the storm
-   Work and life can feel out of control, we overcommit, take on pressure, stress out and it causes us to compromise our priorities
-   Spouses and children lie in the wake

Matthew 8:23-27
Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. 27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

Matthew 16:26
New Living Translation (NLT)
26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?


Common Work Traps
-   Work becomes only about goals and performance
-   Task take priority over people
-   Insecurity leads people to think they can find happiness in work because there is a momentary satisfaction and happiness in a job well done- key word is “momentary”
-   Identify with a position or accomplishments- “What do you do for a living”
-   Work becomes about us instead of people
-   Authority issues with those God put over us


Refocusing on WRM

-   Our value isn’t based on who we are, it’s based on whose we are.
-   We are not loved by God because we are so valuable, we are valuable because God loves us

Psalm 1:1-3
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.


Joy in the moment

Colossians 4:2
The Message (MSG)
 2Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude.

-   Choose to open your eyes to see the goodness of God today
-   We put our energy into what we don’t have
-   Live in the moment not for the moment
-   Problem is we get greedy and want huge blocks of time where everything is perfect. That is stinking thinking and will rob your joy for the moment and life
-   Ephesians 5:16 Make the most of every opportunity
-   When your there, be there!

Joy is rooted in gratitude. You can’t have a joyful heart without a grateful heart and you can’t be a grateful person and not experience joy.


Joy in the meantime

Romans 8:28
New International Version (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

-   Enjoy the journey
-   Celebrate God and celebrate people


Close:

Jesus- The perfect example!

-   He had 36 months to get his message of love to the world and this was before Internet, iPhones and Blackberry.
-   If anyone could justify overworking, it was him
-   Jesus remained focused on his Father and his purpose, he had the perfect balance between work life and personal life.

Hebrews 12:1-2
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

08/15/12 - Relationships 101 PT3 - Everett Spencer

Everett Spencer continues the series "Relationships 101" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Relationships 101 PT3
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

08/12/12 - Outrageous Contageous Joy PT2 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Outrageous Contageous Joy" with Part 2 in this Sunday morning celebration.

Outrageous Contageous Joy PT2
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, August 12, 2012

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Sense-sational

Doing what “feels right” vs. doing what is “righteous”  (again, the contrast in the ‘2 houses’—same storms but one stands and one falls)

When we allow our ‘senses’ to become our decision-makers, we relegate ourselves to a life of extreme highs and lows, a life of reaction often followed by regret.  The outrageous, contagious joy-filled life is a proactive life led from the inside-out by the Spirit and Word of God. 

Romans 1:16-18 (NKJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”  We are the ‘just’—we have been justified by the Blood of the Lamb.  We live—we build our lives, our actions, our behavior, our wants and desires—by faith.  It is faith that sustains real life.  Senses and feelings promote the ‘false life’ offered by the house that falls.  Faith requires Truth to grow and become strong.  The Word is the Truth.  There are lots of things that are ‘true’ but are not the Truth.  There are not many ‘faiths’—from SOAP this week in Ephesians 4: “one faith, one baptism, one Lord—there are lots of belief systems.  But again, all those belief systems fall into one of 2 worldviews—a worldview based on Genesis 1:1 or the contrary worldview based on lies. 

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” I’m not moved by what I see.  I’m not moved by what I feel.  I’m not moved by what I hear.  I’m moved only by the mighty Word of God.


3 Things That Make “Sense to our Senses” but Steal our Joy:

1.  Selfishness—looking out for me and my interests.  Withholding when times get tight so I’ll be OK. Makes ‘sense’ because we ‘feel’ like it is wisdom.  After all, “If I don’t look out for me, who will?”
2.  Bitterness—hanging on to hurts and wrongdoing.  Becoming a victim.  Building walls on ‘invulnerability’ that make us invulnerable to everyone and everything except our enemy whose goal is to destroy us.  Makes ‘sense’ because we ‘feel’ justified in the way we ‘feel’ toward the objects of our bitterness.
3.  Fear—protects a ‘secret life’—if we reveal it, if we are found out, exposed, we will be let down, disappointed, hurt, betrayed, etc.  Fear throttles life by imposing tighter boundaries than God would have for us.  Makes ‘sense’ because we ‘feel’ protected and safe. 

Joy is choosing to see the beauty and blessings no matter what comes our way in life.
Joy can be defined as the positive confidence I possess by knowing and trusting God regardless of the circumstances.

Joy is inner delight derived from an intimate relationship with Christ. No matter what life brings my way, no matter what the circumstances, if I have this inner delight derived from an intimate relationship with Christ, joy will flood my soul. It’s the peace that surpasses all understanding.  It is not based on feelings or human senses.  It even goes beyond reason and logic.  Our justification and rationale will not understand joy—it’s a heart thing.  It requires a ‘brain bypass’—connecting us straight to the Spirit of God and bypassing our intellect, our feelings, and what makes ‘sense’.  1 Corinthians 3:18-19 “Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.”

1 Corinthians 1:20-21 “So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.”


The Righteous Anti-dotes to What Makes ‘Sense’ and What feels ‘Right’

1.  Generosity
2.  Forgiveness
3.  Love and Faith

Romans 4:16-17 “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”

I’m not moved by what I see.  I’m not moved by what I feel.  I’m not moved by what I hear.  Only the mighty Word of God moves me.  The power of a righteous ‘confession’.  (The ‘I Am...’ card)

08/08/12 - Relationships 101 PT2 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Relationships 101" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Relationships 101 PT2
Wednesday, August 8, 2012

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08/05/12 - Outrageous Contageous Joy PT1 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore begins the series "Outrageous Contageous Joy" with Part 1 in this Sunday morning celebration.

Outrageous Contageous Joy PT1
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, August 5, 2012

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Sermon Notes:

Outrageous Contagious Joy Week 1

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

There are only 2 worldviews.  There may be many different representations, but there are only 2 worldviews.  You either believe God created the heavens and the earth or you do not.  And that affects everything else in your life, especially your joy.  If your worldview is the other, then everything is based on chance and circumstance so happiness comes and goes—‘Happy go lucky’.  Joy is not based on circumstance—it is based on the unchanging character of God and His promises.

Genesis 28:16-18 “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!”

A lot of us are waiting on ‘happiness’ when we could ‘wake up’ and live a life of joy regardless of what we are facing because we face it with the Creator of the Universe by our side.

John 15:10-12 “When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”

Joy is infectious, overflowing, contagious and it is outrageous because it isn’t based on what’s going on outside of you, it is based on what’s going on inside you.  Everything outside can be crashing and burning, yet you are full of joy.  That is outrageous and contagious.  Note too the connection between joy and love.  Totally opposite the world’s selfish concept of love—‘I love someone because they make me happy’—love is an overflow of joy—it is for the benefit of others and not based on outside action but inside actions. 


A Tale of Two Houses

In Dickens’ classic ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, he starts with a line that has become very familiar: “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”  How can it be both?  Augustine, one of the fathers of the early church, wrote a book called ‘The City of God’ which was a contrast between the 2 kingdoms that exist on this earth.  Jesus clearly defined these 2 opposing kingdoms—light and darkness, the kingdoms of this world vs. the Kingdom of God—and the master of each kingdom—the god of this world is satan. 

If we believe Jesus and understand the existence of 2 kingdoms, 2 ‘houses’—the Great House of God or the House of satan, then we know it can be the best of times and the worst of times at the same time.  Today, for many people, they are experiencing the worst times they have known because of the economic woes we face worldwide, because of a personal health crisis, or due to a relationship disaster, or because their parents have put them on restriction.  But even in the worst of times, when nothing is making you happy, when the ‘feel good’ moments are few and far between, you can be having the best of times—a life filled with outrageous contagious joy—depending on the house in which you choose to live.

Psalm 84:4 “What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises. Interlude”  (House of Pain or House of Joy?  Maybe it’s time to change neighborhoods.)


There are 2 Houses (and only 2 houses—whether we believe it or not)

Matthew 7:24-27 ““Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Joy is choosing to see the beauty and blessings no matter what comes our way in life.
Joy can be defined as the positive confidence I possess by knowing and trusting God regardless of the circumstances.

Joy is inner delight derived from an intimate relationship with Christ. Happiness is circumstantial, but joy is relational.  The Latin root word of happiness is hap which mean ‘chance’.  Happiness is based on chance, on circumstances, which means it is is fleeting by nature. 

John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

No matter what life brings my way, no matter what the circumstances, if I have this inner delight derived from an intimate relationship with Christ, joy will flood my soul. It’s the peace that surpasses all understanding.


Is the ‘Man of the House’ home?  Each house has a master.

Joshua 24:15 “But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve…But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Back in the day, traveling salesmen would knock on your door and when you answered would ask, depending on what they were selling, “Is the woman (or man) of the house home?”  When we choose which house we will live in (remember, there are only 2 choices), we are also choosing who will be our master, since each house comes with a master.  One master is all about our freedom, our good, while the other is a liar who kills, steals and destroys. 

Ephesians 2:2 “You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.”

Much as we like to think we are our own ‘masters’, our choice of house decides that for us.  Funny, how those who think they are ‘free’ because they are following their own way are the slaves, while those who willingly choose the Lord and His ways have found real freedom by acknowledging Him as master.


House Rules

John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

The House of this world, whose master is satan, has the same rules as the casinos in Las Vegas—“House Wins’.  You may look like you are winning for a little while, but keep playing and eventually the house will take everything.  And the rules are always changing and always changing for the good of the ‘house’.  So, just when you think you have a break through, when things seem to be ‘falling your way’, everything changes again. 

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 “I returned and saw under the sun that—The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time:
Like fish taken in a cruel net,
Like birds caught in a snare,
So the sons of men are snared in an evil time,
When it falls suddenly upon them.”

There is a great effort underway, particularly from Islam, to disavow the existence of Solomon.  One reason is Solomon proves the fruitlessness of chasing happiness.  Here’s how that chase works:  “If I had (fill in the blank) then I would be happy.”  The problem is the money always runs out before the blanks do, so we continue to believe happiness is just one more pursuit away.  Trapped in a frustrating life that rises and falls with circumstances.  The reason Solomon is such a threat to the House of satan is he is the one person in history for whom the money didn’t run out.  He filled in all the blanks and found himself unsatisfied.  Then, he told the world the truth in Ecclesiastes—that satisfaction and joy are only found in the House of God. 

James 1:17 “But every good endowment that we possess and every complete gift that we have received must come from above, from the Father of all lights, with whom there is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency.”


Finding My Way Home

Psalm 42:4 “My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!”

The ‘pattern’ of the Psalms:  a shift in focus:  Problem to Promise to Praise

1 Peter 1:6-9 (TNIV) “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  (‘these have come’—don’t buy into the lie that God is putting you through them which is disproved by the scriptures, specifically James) Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

08/01/12 - Relationships 101 PT1 - Tony Sherrill

Tony Sherrill begins the series "Relationships 101" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Relationships 101 PT1
Wednesday, August 1, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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07/29/12 - Reel Life PT4 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore concludes the "Reel Life" series in Part 4, "Charlotte's Web" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Reel Life PT4
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 29, 2012

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Sermon Notes:

Big Idea:  Charlotte was not exactly the most pleasant thing to look at, but she was a true friend.  The Bible, and scholars, tell us Jesus and Paul had nothing about their appearance that would draw people, yet they are true friends.  Too many of us have found friends who are not making us better, stronger, and more in love with God.  To be a friend of Jesus is the highest reward we can seek.

What Really Matters: friendship, loyalty, life and death that have meaning. 

Isaiah 53:2 “My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground.

There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.” (speaking of Jesus—there was nothing about His appearance that made people seek Him out.  It was who He was, not what He was or what He did, that made Him a trustworthy friend.  The world’s culture has its ‘friendship rules’—being a Biblical, Godly friend will usually disqualify you by those rules.)

You don’t get to pick your family, but you do get to pick your friends.

Proverbs 20:6 “Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?”  (Too many of us are looking for, and finding, friends in the wrong places.  What are you looking for in friends?  Where are you looking for those friends?)

You can be my friend; just don’t tell me anything I don’t want to hear.

Proverbs 27:6 “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”  (Friends are friends forever—until they start being TRUE friends—friends that speak the Truth—the Word—to each other.  Are you sure you want me to speak into your life or would you rather we just kept playing friends?)

Do I really want ‘friends in high places’?

Galatians 4:14-16 “14 But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?”  (Friends that are 1st and foremost friends of God are always a blessing.  If you don’t think so, better do a checkup on your friendship with God.)

Everything is better with Jesus.  Add true friends and it goes to an HNL!

Genesis 1:28 “Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” (our God-given destiny requires strong connections with others.  Note: filling, governing, reigning all start with connecting to others)

07/22/12 - Reel Life PT3 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the "Reel Life" series in Part 3 of the Chronicles of Narnia "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Reel Life PT3
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 22, 2012

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Sermon Notes:

Romans 5:7 "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners."

2 Timothy 2:24 "A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people."

Dealing with Difficult People

– Edmund, Lucy, Caspian, Reepicheep, and the entire crew of the Dawn Treader have to put up with Eustace. He’s “that” kid who is obnoxious, knows it all, disdains others, and generally makes life miserable for everyone. You know the type. He’s the guy who inserts himself into every conversation in an attempt to prove that he’s smarter than everyone else. She’s the one who complains about every imagined slight that she experiences. 


Am I difficult?

Is it easier to hug a porcupine than be in a relationship with me?

Have Others Said Of You . . .

T or F    1. You're a perfectionist!
T or F    2. You're a controlling person!
T or F    3. You're a highly critical person.
T or F    4. No one is ever good enough for you!
T or F    5. You hold a grudge a long time.
T or F    6. You are stingy with compliments.
T or F    7. You're often blaming others.
T or F    8. You're impossible to please!
T or F    9. You withhold love as a punishment.
T or F    10. You can seldom give a compliment without a "but…" following.
T or F    11. You are judgmental.
T or F    12. You are easily offended.
T or F    13. You often contradict others.
T or F    14. You frequently complain about what isn't being done.
T or F    15. You frequently interrupt and correct others.
T or F    16. You’re good at telling and/or knowing what others "should, need, and ought" to do.
T or F    17. You are mad, upset, or angry much of the time.
T or F    18. You react to others not doing what you want them to do by yelling, screaming, swearing, name calling or withdrawing in silence.
T or F    19. You make threats of quitting, divorce, abandonment or withdrawal.
T or F    20. You are rude, insensitive, curt, abrupt, and do not respect the opinions of others.
T or F    21. You see yourself as more hard working, or more responsible, or more capable, or more intelligent than others.

0 - 3         Normal, but not necessarily healthy
4 - 7         Critical and hard to live with
8 - 12       Highly critical and non-accepting of others
13 - 16     Definitely toxic and dangerous to your relationships
17 – 19    A probable history of rocky relationships
20 -- 21    Might think about moving to a deserted island if you are unwilling to change

   
Do I deal with difficult people in a way that empowers destiny-theirs and mine? “Each person is responsible for his or her own behavior regardless of the actions of others. We cannot always choose the circumstances, but we can always choose our response.” 

Let go of the need to change them, to be right and make them wrong, to control, to be heard, acknowledged, the should and shouldn’t, to fix them or change them, as well as the expectation of how things need to be, etc.

Whatever you are reacting to in them is an opportunity for you to transform in yourself.

To be a loving person is a goal, to be loved in return is a wish. Focus on goals, things for which you are responsible, not wishes.  (again, vision, not need, is what moves God.  “I need to be loved” vs “I will be a lover of others”)

Hugging a porcupine must be done very gently, using wisdom.  Even then you will probably walk away with some pain.  (example:  scars on my arm from my own cat—messing with him when he was being difficult)


3 Ways to Hug a Porcupine:

Redemption – Eustace got himself into a situation that he couldn’t get himself out of. He dabbled in what he shouldn’t have, and discovered to his dismay that he had become outwardly what he was inwardly. While in the form of a dragon, Eustace began to learn the value of friendship, and even experienced the joy of cooperation. He learned the satisfaction that comes from helping others. When he finally saw himself as he really was, he discovered that he needed the transformation that only Aslan could provide. The account of that transformation in the book is exquisite. The redemption of Eustace had a real effect on not only Eustace, but on the others too.


1. Pray for insight and wisdom.

When you pray for someone, God often changes your heart about them. Maybe you’ll never see eye to eye with them, that’s ok. The most important thing is that you begin to see them through the eyes of Christ. Ask God to help you see them the way that he sees them. While you’re at it, ask him to protect and bless them and to show you ways to reach out to them.

Psalm 73:12-17 (if the destiny of the wicked, if all that seems unfair, is revealed in the sanctuary of the Lord, then the destiny of the righteous and those pursuing God is also found there.  Enoch and Noah: an uncontaminated bloodline because of surrender to God.)
 12 This is what the wicked are like—always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. 13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been afflicted,  and every morning brings new punishments. 15 If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.


2. Put on the right equipment and get in the right position

James 1:19 “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.”

Matthew 7:6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy.[a] Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

Put on some thick gloves and a flak jacket.  Remember, we are difficult because we have not embraced the nature of God in whose image we are made.  Instead, we are embracing another nature.  (Example:  the story of the ‘pet’ Boa Constrictor in Florida who killed the young couple’s baby—It was his nature.)  Respect the nature you are dealing with while you display the nature of God.   Set realistic expectations and keep your eyes on Jesus, not the porcupine. 
Respect is ours to give.  Don’t require it to be earned, just give it away.  I’ve learned that saying, “Please” and “Thank you” is an easy and powerful way to show someone else respect. In fact, it can help build your respect. We’ve forgotten those powerful words, yet they can really dismantle a hard-to-reach person.


3. Refuse to give in to the negative.

Galatians 5:14-15 “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.”  Not killing, not stealing, etc., are easy compared to loving each other.  This is the hardest to fulfill and cannot be achieved by self-effort.  We must have the help of God.  Otherwise we turn to vengeance, gossip, despising, and giving up.

07/15/12 - Reel Life PT2 - Tony Sherrill

Tony Sherrill continues the "Reel Life" series in Part 2 of the Chronicles of Narnia "Prince Caspian" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Reel Life PT2
Tony Sherrill
Sunday, July 15, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

The Chronicles of Narnia—Prince Caspian

This Great Adventure: Staying ‘childlike’ in a grown-up world. Staying amazed by Christianity instead of becoming bored and earthly minded. Seeing the greatness of God’s plan and work in our lives.

C. S. Lewis used a literary technique known as defamiliarizing

Defamiliarizing –To present an unfamiliar artistic form that stimulates fresh perception.

Matthew 18:4(KJV) Whosoever shall humble himself as a little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 18:17  (MSG)  Unless you accept God’s Kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you will never get in.
1.  Believe like a child
2.  Receive like a child
3.  Have faith like a child

-----------------

The movie starts with Prince Caspian’s uncle trying to kill him and take the throne. Prince Caspian escapes finding himself in danger and blows the special Rams horn that summons the Kings and Queens of old.


Scene1:
==============

Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return to Narnia, but find everything has changed since they left.

Romans 8:18-21( MSG )—That’s why I don’t think there is any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment in the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.


How do we change?

We change the way we think.

Romans 12:2( MSG) – Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

2 Peter 2:7-8( KJV) – and delivered Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul form day to day with their unlawful deeds)
Today: killing, perversion, porn, movies, TV, Games etc.

Hardness of heart—(Unbelief)

Matthew 13: 15( MSG) – The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won’t have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won’t have to look, so they won’t have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them.

How did Jesus deal with Hardness of heart and unbelief?

Mark 6:4-6(KJV) A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty works, save he laid his hands upon a few sick fold, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages teaching.


Scene 2:
==========

They fought one battle on their own and had great loss. Their next battle the enemy came to them. They sent Lucy to find Aslan, realizing their need for His help.

What can I do to correct my unbelief and hardness of heart?
1.  Repent for not staying childlike in my faith.
2.  Daily look to the Word of God and worship.
3.  Open our eyes again Lord to the Majesty of Your plan and Your works.

Revelation 22:16-17 (MSG) “I Jesus, sent my Angel to testify to these things for the churches. I’m the Root and Branch of David, the Bright Morning Star.” “Come!” Say the Spirit and the Bride. Whoever hears, “Come!” Is anyone thirsty? Come! All who will, come and drink, Drink freely of the Water of Life!

07/08/12 - Reel Life PT1 - Pastor Michael Adams

Pastor Michael Adams teaches on "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Reel Life PT1
Pastor Michael Adams
Sunday, July 8, 2012

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Sermon Notes:

Reel Life- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Big Idea: We are made in God’s image and will never find fulfillment in anything but His presence, His Kingdom, and His will.

Facts on Lewis and novel:
-   Almost wasn’t published due to criticism of overt Christian allegory and violence
-   Idea came from a picture of the faun he remembered seeing as a boy
-   Lewis began the book during WWII while hosting 3 young girls sent from London to escape the blitz bombings.
-   Aslan is an allegory of the substitution and the ransom work of Christ
-   Time magazine lists the book as one of the 100 most important English works

Intro:
-   We all have an instinctive desire to be fulfilled, to have purpose and find significance
-   We are all faced with the same question- will we be what God created to be or will we spend our lives searching for fulfillment in other places?

In the beginning:

Genesis 1:26-27
New Living Translation (NLT)
26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”27 So God created human beings in his own image.
 In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 3:1-4
3 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

-   God clearly laid out our purpose in the beginning
-   We are all faced with the question, “Did God really say?”
-   Warning! The serpent challenged Eve’s purpose! It should send up a red flag anytime the enemy is telling you what God said.


Edmund, Eve and all of Humanity:


Scene 1:

Edmund returns to the White Witch’s castle thinking he would be welcomed. He sits on the witch’s throne trying it out for size and we see his desire for Turkish Delight turn to hunger for power. He learns of the witch’s real intentions and realizes that his choices might have cost him everyone he loves.


*See the “Big Picture”

-   Live for the eternity instead of only for the moment. We serve an eternal purpose
-   Sin is never about sin, it’s about purpose (Turkish Delight)
-   When we are selfish our world shrinks; when we serve others our world expands
-   Outside of a loving God and serving others there is no purpose

Colossians 3:1-3
New Living Translation (NLT)
3 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:1-3
The Message (MSG)
 1-2 So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.


*Protect your Purpose

Colossians 1:15-23
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
 He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,16 for through him God created everything
    in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
    and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
    Everything was created through him and for him.17 He existed before anything else,
    and he holds all creation together.18 Christ is also the head of the church,
    which is his body.
He is the beginning,
 supreme over all who rise from the dead.  So he is first in everything.19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled
    everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.

Galatians 1:6-7 (SOAP Verse)
I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

-   Distracted by the idea of the “perfect call”
-   Knowing God’s will is result of a lifestyle of worship
-   Know his presence and you will know His will
-   If you are ever uncertain of His will be certain of His presence


Romans 12:1-2
New Living Translation (NLT)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

-   We, like Edmund, get tricked into thinking we must attain our place with God when it has already been provided. God already has the plan and we are the original plan
-   This was also the way the serpent deceived Eve. She was already made in God’s image. 

Psalms 139:15-16
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.


*Stay Humble

-   Avoid the Blame Game: Edmund blamed, Adam blamed and we blame
-   The redeeming work of the cross begins in our lives when we take responsibility for the state we are in.
-   He is more than able if we are more than willing

Ex. David “I am the man”

2 Samuel 12:13
Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.


Scene 2:

In this scene we see Aslan crown the four children as kings and queens of Narnia. They each take their rightful place on the throne to rule and reign.


Psalm 8:4-6
“what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority”

We are created in the image of God. We have been a part of his plan from the beginning. Real fulfillment only comes from living in His presence and allowing His presence to live through us- loving God and loving others. We were made for this!

07/01/12 - Vision Sunday - Pastor Michael Adams

Pastor Michael Adams recasts the vision of LifeGate Church in this Sunday morning celebration.

Vision Sunday
Pastor Michael Adams
Sunday, July 1, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Study now: Download the Sermon Notes (requires Adobe Reader)


Sermon Notes:

Vision Sunday 7-1

Big Idea: Taking ownership of our “home” and making sure everyone gets “3 touches”.

Intro:
-   The family and the church are the two institutions God established.
-   They are the vehicles for life transformation
-   The local church is a family and this is our “home”

 Ephesians 3:8-10
 And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. My task is to bring out in the open and make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!


“A regional church sharing the life-giving message of Jesus with West Georgia and the world”

Ephesians 4:16

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Illus. Cruise Ship verses Battleship

"My church must be a battleship, not a cruise liner. If you are to pierce the darkness and rescue souls lost on the scratch, you cannot be a ship of spectators. Everyone must know why they are on board."

 Wayne Cordeiro. Doing Church As A Team

-   Every member a minister
-   It’s not one person doing 100 things, it’s 100 people doing one thing

Ephesians 4:11-12
New Living Translation (NLT)
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

"equipping" (katartismos) - comes from the verb” to mend”

-   The same verb is used n Mark 1:19 when James and John were in the boat mending their nets The torn nets may have gotten snagged on the rocky bottom of the Sea of Galilee, so these fishermen mended them prior to their next fishing trip.
-   They were equipping the nets to fulfill the purpose for which they had been created: to catch fish!
Illus. My dad and sports equipment
-   In the same way we are mended/equipped by hearing the Word and being connected to the local church. 
-   Our purpose isn’t fulfilled by sitting on the “shelf” but rather being thrown into the sea. 


1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (NKJV)
11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.


So What?

People can experience the love of Jesus through “3 touches” whether in our homes, businesses, or churches.  All three flow from a heart that is others- focused.

3 Touches:

1.   Exhort (Build Them Up):
   -   Encourage and cheer others on.  This is accomplished with a warm, sincere, friendly greeting. 
   -   Always strive to be ‘people-focused’, not ‘task-focused. 
   -   Jesus wants to meet people through you.  He wants to cheer them on through you.  He wants to move them closer to a life-changing moment through you.

Exhorting Tips:
-   Smile and make eye contact. 

2.   Comfort (Lift Them Up):
   -   Come alongside others and walk in their shoes, hear them. 
   -   This requires a deeper level of connection.
   -   Being sensitive to others begins with being sensitive to the Holy Spirit
   -   What are they saying with theirs words, their body language, their actions.  Are they nervous, awkward, confused, mad, hurt?
   -   God has brought them across your path on purpose.  Expect God to speak to you concerning people.  Move from greeting them to loving them.

Comforting Tips:
-   Comforting begins giving them your name, then hearing their name.  Sociologists tell us the most pleasant sound people can hear is their name spoken in a friendly manner. 
-   Call them by name.  Assure them, compliment them, even pray with them if you sense the Holy Spirit’s direction to do so.  Go beyond a wave and a smile.

3.   Charge (Fire Them Up)
-   The word is ‘edify’, not a word we use much.  The best definition is a word picture—connecting a dead car battery to a live one to jump it off.  We are the live battery! Raise the level of expectation with this touch.

Charging Tips:
-   Be  excited. Meet people where they are and lead to expect God’s best.

06/27/12 - Wednesday Night - Tony Sherrill

Tony Sherrill teaches in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Wednesday Night
Tony Sherrill
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

06/24/12 - Second is First Loser - Pastor Michael Adams

Pastor Michael Adams teaches on "Second is First Loser" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Second is First Loser
Pastor Michael Adams
Sunday, June 24, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Study now: Download the Sermon Notes (requires Adobe Reader)


Sermon Notes:

Second is First Loser
- 66 books, 40 authors over 1600 years
- central theme is Jesus
- never contradicts itself
- "thus says the Lord" 3000 times

The Word of God must be the ultimate authority in our lives.  Having it second or just another part of life won’t work. Knowing and living a life that really matters is grounded on the bible’s divine inspiration, its infallible authority and its completeness in form and content.

Matthew 4: 1-4

Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: "Since you are God's Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread." Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: "It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God's mouth."

-   We are presented with this same challenge in life. Will we look to other things for nourishment and fulfillment?
-   Jesus was at one of the most desperate times of his life and he declares that real life comes from the Words of God

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”


Making the Word the Ultimate Authority

John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.


*The Word is a person, Jesus Christ

-   The religious leaders were looking for life in scriptures and missed that life was standing right in front of them. 
-   We are very much wired to read and become doers. The supernatural part of the Word, life transformation, is a result of Jesus, the incarnate Word, living in and through us.
-   The writings of 40 authors, 66 books over 1500 years all converge in Jesus Christ
-   The bible it self is a tool that come alive through my relationship with God

John 5:39 (MSG)

39-40"You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want.

John 5:39 (NLT)

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me. 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.


*The Word is foundational not additional

-   It’s not a matter of God simply suggesting some nice things to help us in life
-   We make the Word of God a piece of the house rather than the foundation of the whole thing
-   Take him at his Word, literally. Will we trust him with the whole thing?
-   Our way of thinking mixed with God’s thinking doesn’t make a good concoction. It’s still stinking thinking.
-   His promise is to watch over His word to perform it, not ours. (Jer. 1:12)
-   Our culture teaches to keep an open mind yet God clearly requires us to serve him with absolute single-heartedness. (Luke 4:8)
-   There is such thing as absolute truth and it’s found in Jesus

Luke 6: 46-49 (MSG)

46-47"Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. 48-49"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss.

Filtering everything through the Word

Illus. A/C filter

 Like a filter on an AC unit, if it doesn’t have one, or the proper one, it will eventually break. The filter is the first thing that the unclean air passes through and causes the system to deliver clean pure air on the other side. If the Word is the first and only filter, you can have the rich and satisfying life- clean air. A filter that never clogs up and never needs to be replaced. Everything we think and do is processed through it so that only truth comes out. This is the way we align ourselves with the will of God.

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

1.  Ask
-   Ask and allow the Holy Spirit to be your guide

John 16:13

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

2.  Read
-   Read and study attentively and with intention
-   Many times there is an absence of attention because there is little intention
-   Read on purpose

1 Timothy 4:15

15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

3.   Plan
-   Make a plan
-   New SOAP quarter beginning this week

4.   Share
-   We have the responsibility to all mankind, to communicate the Word of God through our witness and service
-   When the Word of God has preeminence in our lives it supernaturally flows through us to others. This is a natural result of communion with Jesus.
-   When our thinking is filtered through the Word then people around us will experience life 

2 Timothy 3 16-17 (MSG)

There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
Thouroughly equipped for every good work

Equipped:

Physician Word meaning- to set a broken bone, replace a displaced limb, mended or repaired
1. healed and mended
2. Find where they fit
3. handle life, cracks, managing life