01/29/12 - Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks PT4 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "The Simple Life" with part four of "Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: Holy Habits Batman!" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: Holy Habits Batman!

Pastor Tony Ashmore

Sunday, January 29, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Sermon Notes:

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks:

Week 4: Holy Habits Batman! (Manners Matter)

(Small Things that make a huge difference)

1 John 4:20 “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?”  

Our habits in the way we treat other humans directly effects our treatment of God.  God-honoring actions release God-honoring life.  Manners matter.  We show respect for God when we respect others.  We honor God when we honor others.  When we are full of His Spirit, “doing” is like riding a bike—you never forget it and it just happens when you get on the bike.  “Doing” in the Kingdom is all about the Spirit-filled, Spirit-baptized life.

Points:

*   Seeing Him:

John 5:19 “So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

-   Jesus made sure his actions re-presented his Father.  “Doing” was easy—he simply imitated what he saw his Father do.  Doing is the result of relationship.  I don’t “do” to get closer to God, or to get his approval, I “do” because I am in relationship with God.  Note David’s description of his sin—“I have sinned against you.”  How can I do anything to dishonor Him?  How can I do anything that would dishonor my wife and kids?  In the book “When Good Men Are Tempted”, the author challenges men to write a letter to their kids explaining the decision to commit adultery and destroy their life.  When we value relationship with God, relationship with our inner circle, relationship with others, then we will find ourselves honoring those “valuable” relationships in our doing.  His character, his personality, will become more and more evident in me—in my doing—as I simply hang out with him.  

*   Receiving Him:

John 20:2-22 “Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  

-   Jesus has sent us, empowered us, with the same assignment he was given.  His “doing” is our “doing”.   Acts 10:38 “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power to go about doing good and healing all that are oppressed of the devil.”

*   Embracing Him:

John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”   

-   Simply allowing the Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, to make small tweaks in the way we think, the things we know, and the words we speak, will result in the release of the power of Heaven in our actions.  We pray and things happen.  We do and miracles happen.  Our doing becomes the release of heaven into earth and lives are transformed.  We settle for an impotent ‘doing’—hoping and not really expecting.  When we fill our heart, our mind and our mouth with His words, when we embrace His Holy Spirit and His ‘doing’ in us—we will see His ‘doing’ through us to others.  Mark 16:17-18 “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

*   “Presence-ing Him”:

Exodus 3:13-14 ‘But Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.”’

-   “I AM” is the name of God.  Everytime we start a sentence with “I am…” we are about to re-present God, either accurately or distorted.  When I say, “I am angry,” do my actions in that anger represent what God does when He is angry?  “I am going to discipline you”—am I about to represent to my children an accurate representation of the way God disciplines me?  “I am going to love you”—do I love you the way God loves me?  I AM is His name.  From this day forward, “I am…going to seek to accurately represent YOU with my ‘doing’.”  Not doing to please you, but doing because I please you.  Not doing to be good, but doing because you have made me good.  Not doing to gain righteousness, but doing because you have made me righteous.  Doing because it is who “I AM” and because I know who you are.

So What:

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.”

The Spirit-filled, Spirit-baptized life is not complicated.  “Do-ing” becomes as natural as breathing.  We become what we behold.  (note the 2 types of knowledge: intuitive and cognitive and the effect of what we see and hear on the intuitive) We get in the Word, the Word gets in us.  We fill our lives with the presence of the Holy Spirit—our helper, our friend, our stand-by, our advocate, our comforter, our strength—and He empowers the Word in us.  What God has done “in us” now is what God is “doing through us.”  

Matthew 11:28 (MESSAGE) "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

01/25/12 - The Nine P's of Winning - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "The Nine P's of Winning" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

The Nine P's of Winning
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

The Nine P’s of Winning: (Dr. Frank Luntz has discovered in his study of great leaders, that they all practice 9 principles of winning.) 2 Corinthians 2:14 CEV “I am grateful that God always makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory.”

1. People-Centered.  Recognize what is missing in the lives of others and then try to address it.  Jeremiah 22:15-16 ‘a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king! Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink. But he was just and right in all his dealings. That is why God blessed him. He gave justice and help to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the LORD.’

2. Paradigm Breaking. Winners are not improvers; they are game-changers. Three attributes define paradigm breaking: (1) the attitude of never settling for normal or average, (2) the practice of purposeful reinvention and (3) the necessity of using skilled communication to lead yourself and others in a new direction.  (Noah and the Ark—totally busted a paradigm! Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.”)

3. Prioritization. Winners know how to separate what must be done from what should be done — and that has a direct correlation to what they say and when they say it.  The urgent is not necessarily the important.  (Jesus’ prayer in John 17:4 “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”)

4. A Pursuit of Excellence. If you’re not driven to seek excellence in all you do, you’ll live in the land of “good enough”. Without a burning desire to offer your best in everything you do, it’s almost impossible to find the internal strength to strive for excellence. (Daniel 6:3)

5. Partnership.  In fact, winners have 4 groups of people in their lives: mentors, models, friends, and partners.  Honest, open communication is paramount for these relationships.  (Jonathan and his armor-bearer 1 Samuel 14:7 “Do what you think is best,” the armor bearer replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.”)

6. Passion. There isn’t a winner anywhere who doesn’t bring passion to what he or she does or how he or she communicates.  (Acts 26--Paul and King Agrippa)

7. Persuasion. Winners don’t preach; they persuade. They listen to other points of view and adjust where necessary, but when they know they have heard from God they are able to communicate it in such a way that others take ownership.  (Joshua 1:16 ‘They answered Joshua, “We will do whatever you command us, and we will go wherever you send us.’ Joshua about to cross the Jordan into the promised land.  Compare to Joshua and Caleb unable to persuade the others to cross over before.)

8. Persistence. Winners know how to succeed over the long haul. In fact, they know that life is not a sprint, it is a marathon, and they know that failure is not final.  (Joseph—10 tests from Dream to Destiny Psalm 105:19 “Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.”)

9. Principled Action. Bernie Madoff will be known not for what he temporarily achieved, but for how he achieved it and, ultimately, how miserably he failed.  Character and integrity are the foundations of winning.  (Moses—not remembered for how he started, remembered for his integrity in the long haul.  Numbers 12:3 “Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.”

01/22/12 - Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks PT3 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "The Simple Life" with part three of "Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: Sticks and Stones…" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: Sticks and Stones
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, January 22, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks:
What we think shapes our attitude—our world view
Our Attitude shapes our words
Our Words shape our actions
Our Actions shape our habits
Our Habits shape our character
Our Character defines our life.

Allowing God’s Holy Spirit to tweak our thought life will bring our attitude into line with Christ, changing the way we speak, causing our actions to reflect our belief.  We will form God-pleasing habits, releasing the fullness of His Blessing into our lives, resulting in living the life we were intended live—a simple life centered on WRM.

Our lives consist of:

What we think—“As a man thinks so is he…”  Proverbs 23:7
What we know—“You shall know the Truth and the Truth will make you free.”  John 8:32
What we say--  “Your words are a lamp unto my feet …”
What we do—“Do everything as unto the Lord”


Sticks and Stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me:

Week 3: Do our words empower the Simple Life?  Are they words that protect WRM?  Are we assertive or manipulative?  Faith-filled or Fear-filled?  Do they empower Heaven to act on our behalf?

Matthew 12:36-37 “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.

Jeremiah 15:19 “This is how the LORD responds: “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you!”

Our words have creative power.  Unlike any other inhabitant of this planet, we are able to speak and cause things to happen.

*   Words are the ‘currency’ of Heaven given to us.  John 17:13-14b 13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your word…”
*   Words cause faith to come. Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
*   Our words empower us to make the invisible things visible. Romans 4:17 (KJV) “(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.”
*   The words we choose create our direction, our path. Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
*   Our words have the power to bless and the power to curse.  James 3:10 “And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!”
   -   Words that curse: Proverbs 21:8 (MESSAGE) “Mixed motives twist life into tangles; 
pure motives take you straight down the road.”
   *   Manipulation
   *   Sarcasm
   *   Discouraging
   *   Belittling


Isaiah’s Story

Isaiah 6:1-8  “1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,
   “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies! 
      The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
 4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”
 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”  I said, “Here I am. Send me.”


Isaiah sees the Lord in all of His glory.

He sees himself as doomed, specifically identifying his ‘words’ as the main witness against him.
God uses a coal from the altar of Heaven to cleanse his lips—a small tweak.
Immediately Isaiah can clearly hear the voice of the Lord.
Isaiah seizes his destiny—Giant Peak.


So What:

Psalm 103:20 “Praise the LORD, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands.”
Allow the Holy Spirit to make a small tweak in the way we use words.  Let Him fill our mouths with the Word of God.  Begin to speak the language of Heaven and watch God’s Words release Heaven into Earth. 
*   Read the Word every day.
*   Memorize the Word.
*   Speak the Word.

01/18/12 - 10 Reasons NOT to Read the Bible - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "10 Reasons NOT to Read the Bible" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

10 Reasons NOT to Read the Bible
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

2 Timothy 3:17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” (note Ephesians 2:10—our destiny—our “pre-destiny”—and therefore our fulfillment in this life is to do the good works planned for us.  The Scripture empowers that.  The trick of the enemy is simply keep us out of the Word and we never achieve our destiny.  Result is disillusioned, disappointed, disabled Christians.)

(NKJV) “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

(KJV) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.


10 Reasons NOT to Read Your Bible This Year

1. It might change your character. You may be inspired to treat people differently, to act on the behalf of those who are mistreated, downtrodden, or hated. You may act differently not because you are trying to be a better person, but because you encounter a God that loves you just the way you are. Psalm 105:19 “Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the LORD tested Joseph’s character.”  Connection between dreams and character. 

2. It may change your actions.  You may begin to think differently, and, therefore, act differently. People around you may see a difference in you as you begin to act in ways that are contrary to what the world holds as important. Philippians 1:9-10 “…understand what really matters…”

3. It might change what you think about God.  Currently, you may assume God is angry and disappointed in you, perhaps like someone in your own life. If you engage with the Scriptures, you may notice that this isn’t true about Him at all. James 1:17 “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

4. Might discover that you’ve mistaken religion with relationship.  You may realize the bad religion that you’ve experienced in the past is in fact very different from the Jesus in the Scriptures. Or you may find out that you have substituted doing religious duties for developing a real relationship with Jesus.  You may actually encounter the Jesus in the Scriptures.  John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”

5. You may lose the “I’m not perfect” excuse.   As you see the redemption in the Bible for countless misfits and heathens, idol worshippers and killers, frauds and failures, you may learn of the restoration in store for your life too. You may be surprised at all the jacked up people in the Bible that were used by God. Ephesians 3:8 “Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.”

6. It may affect your relationships.  You may begin to see people not for how they can benefit you, but instead how you can impact them. As you begin to apply what you learn in the Scriptures, you may see your relationships with others go to a whole new level of influence. Psalm 112:9 “They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.”

7. You may become unsettled.   As you read stories of boldness and sacrifice through the lives of imperfect people, you may lose yourself in the stories. You may find yourself in the middle of a conversation from long ago. You may become unsettled with the life you currently live.  Luke 1:29-30 “Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!’”

8. You may realize that people are still the same.  Even though the world today is very different than in biblical times, you may find that people are very much the same as they’ve always been. You encounter people who are selfish, broken, and confused, but end up being selfless, healed, and filled with purpose in life. You may end up believing there is hope for the hopeless and that everybody can be changed by the power of the Gospel. Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

9. You may find out you need help.  The Bible was written over thousands of years by dozens of different authors, all inspired by God. Its unique formation can make it pretty intimidating to understand at times. As you engage with the Scriptures, you may be compelled to bring in friends, family, or others to join you in your new quest. Ecclesiastes 4:12 “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

10. It may challenge every desire and plan you have in your life.  You may be compelled to give your life to a greater cause, one that extends far beyond your pleasures or comforts. When you read the Bible, it's all about a life that has purpose and meaning and therefore promotes legacy for your generation and the ones to follow in your footsteps.  Psalm 22:30 “Our children will also serve him. Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.”

Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”  Challenge:  Begin to memorize Scripture each week. 

01/15/12 - Small Tweaks To Giant Peaks PT2 - Pastor Michael Adams

Pastor Michael Adams continues the series "The Simple Life" with part two of "Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: In The Know" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: In The Know
Pastor Michael Adams
Sunday, January 15, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks Week Two - In the Know

Philippians 1:9-10
New Living Translation (NLT)
 9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 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.

Our Lives Consist of:
What we think
What we know
What we say
What we do

What if what we know isn’t real?
What if the truth we believe is a lie?

VIDEO: Wizard of Oz clip

Matthew 22:29
New Living Translation (NLT)
 29 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.

John 5:39-40
New Living Translation (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.


64% of adults and 83% of teenagers believe that truth is relative


3 People “In the Know”

Luke 7:36-50
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. 37 When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. 38 Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”
 40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.”
   “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied.
 41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
   “That’s right,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
 47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
 49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
 50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

1.  Simon “knew”
   
Who he was
Who the Messiah would be
Who Jesus was

He “knew” who the woman was

2.  The Women “knew”

Who Simon was
Who she was
Who Jesus was

*   Knowing the Truth begins with humility

Proverbs 1:7
 7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,

*   Knowing the Truth requires intimacy
“Let your hair down”

*   Knowing the Truth will cost you everything

We can’t afford to “pay the man behind the curtain no attention”

John 8:32
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

*   only the truth you know will bring freedom

01/11/12 - The Emancipated Mind - Pastor Fred Foster

LifeGate Church Mirror Lake welcomes Pastor Fred Foster as he teaches on "The Emancipated Mind" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

The Emancipated Mind
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

01/08/12 - Small Tweaks To Giant Peaks PT1 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "The Simple Life" with part one of "Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: Think About It" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: Think About It
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, January 08, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

Small Tweaks to Giant Peaks: Part 1:  Think About It
Proverbs 23:7a (NKJV) “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Our lives consist of:
What we think
What we know
What we say
What we do

Allowing God’s Holy Spirit to tweak our thought life will bring our attitude into line with Christ, changing the way we speak, causing our actions to reflect our belief.  We will form God-pleasing habits, releasing the fullness of His Blessing into our lives, resulting in living the life we were intended live—a simple life centered on What Really Matters (WRM).

Live in the Tree of Life.  It is just a few steps from Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but it is a world of difference.

Genesis 2:8-9; 15-16 “8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.””

*   The TKGE is good but like everything else God created, when taken “out of order” it perverts the intended design and what was meant for good becomes dangerous.
*   The knowledge of good and evil without the overlaying of the TOL results in separation from life as God intended it, separation from the Simple Life, and separation from WRM. 
*   Ignorance + arrogance = disaster

Living in the TOL produces Life, then the knowledge of good and evil are used for good, instead of judgment:

*   Instead of competing, I become a servant to all.
*   When given the opportunity to speak into someone’s life, I speak the truth in love.  I see the good and evil in others, but I have no agenda other than the good of others. 
*   The TOL filter keeps our enemy, pride—the enemy ‘in-a-me’—subdued.

So how do I live in the TOL:

John 6:63 “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
*   Not  a “do” thing—it is a “done” thing—embrace what Jesus has done
*   Fall in love with His Word—spend time with it.

01/04/12 - Living the Life You're Intended to Live PT3 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Living the Life You're Intended to Live" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Living the Life You're Intended to Live PT3
Wednesday, January 4, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

01/01/12 - De-Clutter and Re-Ordered - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore begins a new series entitled "The Simple Life" with part one "De-Clutter and Re-Ordered"  in this Sunday morning celebration.

De-Clutter and Re-Ordered
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, January 01, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:


De-Clutter and Re-Ordered

Big Idea: Sometimes our lives become so cluttered, complicated, and/or disorganized that we can’t see The Simple Life because we can’t find What Really Matters (WRM).  It’s there.  It’s just obscured by all the ‘trappings’ we have allowed to enter and attach.  Kinda like a Velcro ball—as we roll along doing life, stuff just jumps on board—some of it we should keep and some of it needs to be jettisoned.  But if we don’t stop and take a look, if all we do is ‘resolve again’, we work harder each year with less results because the ever-increasing load makes it harder to increase our momentum.  Without momentum, we easily stall, becoming discouraged and giving up.  The result is another year without accomplishing what we sincerely planned.
Let’s go on a journey together this year, as a church and as individuals, to find What Really Matters.  Let’s embrace The Simple Life and make 2012 a fun, world-changing year!
Images: A cluttered room or desk, beggar-lice, the garage, Life Cereal box overflowing—all of it may be good, but some of it has to be set-aside for now.  Put WRM in first, then decisions must be made on the rest—knowing that a choice to cram it in there anyway is a choice to negatively effect WRM

Key Verse for the Year:
Philippians 1:9-11 9 “I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 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. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.”

Key Verse for this Message:
Isaiah 45:18 “For the Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place. He made the world to be lived in, not to be a place of empty chaos. “I am the Lord,” he says, “and there is no other.”

De-Clutter

1 Corinthians 7:29 (MESSAGE) “I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don't complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple —in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.”

1.   Start today, start somewhere
   a.   Eat an elephant one bite at a time
   b.   Accept no excuses
   c.   Put some success in the ‘bank’: pick a starting point where you can win, then build on that win until you are tackling the really ‘impossible-looking’ stuff

2.   4 categories:
   a.   Definitely keep—things that line up with what you say you want and what you believe God wants in your life
   b.   Definitely discard—things that distract, clutter, complicate, or create opportunities for sin and failure (1 John 3:4a MESSAGE “All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God's order. Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program…”)
   c.   Keep for a later time—dreams whose time has not arrived.  If kept, even though they are good, they will distract WRM right now.
   d.   Give away—love, respect, stuff, ideas and dreams that don’t fit right now

Re-Order

Romans 8:3a (MESSAGE) “God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn't deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that…”

1.   Establish Priorities—remember, we don’t have ‘time’ issues, we have priority issues
   a.   What’s the Big Picture?  (Isaiah 47:7)
   b.   What does God think? (Isaiah 1:18 “Come, let us reason together”)
   c.   What would Jesus want me to do? (Hebrews 3:1 “Consider Jesus”)

2.   Invest Time, Talent, and Resources accordingly—remember, our heart follows our treasure, not vice-versa.
   a.   Value what God values.
   b.   Add value to those things and they become valuable to you.
   c.   Be intentional with calendar and checkbook to add value.

So What:

Romans 8:3b (MESSAGE) “…The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn't deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.”

1.   Rest in Him
2.   Find What Really Matters in Him.
3.   Live the Simple Life by letting Him live in you.

12/25/11 - The Four Cups of Communion - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "The Four Cups of Communion"  in this Christmas morning celebration.

The Four Cups of Communion
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, December 25, 2011

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:


Micah 5:2 But you, “O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.”

The communion we observe was instituted by Jesus with His disciples.  They would have recognized it as a Passover meal.  Jesus explained what was about to happen to Him using the symbols of Passover that have been celebrated now for about 3500 years. 

The bread we receive is the matzah used in Passover that is broken and hidden.  It represents Jesus’ body, broken for our healing and wholeness.  When the half matzah is found it is broken into pieces, distributed and eaten by everyone. Jesus said, at this point: “Take and eat; this is My body” [Matthew 26:26].

Typically wine is served four times during the Passover meal. According to Jewish tradition, the four cups represent four expressions of redemption. The first cup is called the cup of sanctification; the second is the cup of judgment; the third is the cup of redemption; and the fourth is the cup of the kingdom.

The 4 Cups of Communion

The Four Cups of the Seder are taken in remembrance of promises made by God to His chosen people in Exodus 6:6-7:6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians."

The First Cup: Rescue/Sanctification/Set Apart--"I will take you out of Egypt."
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

The Second Cup: Deliverance--"I will deliver you from (Egyptian) slavery."
God takes “Egypt out of them”—teaching them to think and live like free people instead of slaves ruled by a master.  Jesus: Matthew 5:17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

The Third Cup: Redemption: "I will redeem you with My power."
John 1:12-13  “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”
Tradition says that when Jesus said “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you,” He was referring to the 3rd cup of the Passover, the Cup of Redemption. By His shed blood we can be redeemed from our bondage to sin, just as the Israelites were redeemed from their bondage to Egypt. He then said He wouldn’t drink wine again until the Kingdom had come.

The Fourth Cup: Restoration, or Completion, or Acceptance: "I will acquire you as My people and I will be your God."
John 19:28-30 “Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
He had given His body and shed His blood. Phase one of the Kingdom, allowing us to receive a full pardon for our sins, had come. To fulfill the Scriptures, He took a final drink of wine. It represented the 4th Cup of the Passover, the Cup of Acceptance. It’s as if He was saying to all who would believe in Him, “I will take you as my people and I will be your God.”

The 4th cup is also called the Hallel Cup—the Highest Praise Cup—a celebration cup, a time to rejoice cup, the Kingdom Party Cup.
John 1:14, 16 (MESSAGE) The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish…We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift…all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.”