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

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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."

08/26/12 - 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.

08/12/12 - 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

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

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

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast

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

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


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


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.”

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

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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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

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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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.

06/17/12 - Father's Arms - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "The Father's Arms" in this Sunday morning celebration.

The Father's Arms
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, June 17, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

1 Corinthians 4:15 “For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.” 


Big Idea:  There are lots of ‘teachers’ who want to tell us what to think, but we need ‘fathers’ who teach us how to think.  “…became your father when I preached the Good News…” Fathers are for you, they want your best. 

Galatians 3:28 “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  This isn’t just a ‘man’ thing—this is for anyone who is a Kingdom person: mom, dad, married, single, boss, employee, son, daughter, friend, etc.


Great Fathers:

1. Are sure of whom they are reflecting: 

Genesis 5:3 “When Adam was 130 years old, he became the father of a son who was just like him—in his very image. He named his son Seth.” Do the ‘images’ we create reflect Him?
Do I re-present Him well or is there a distortion?  The way we relate to God is often defined or affected by how He was represented to us by authority figures. 

(Exodus 20:4 “…you shall not make for yourself any image or likeness…”)

Genesis 1:26 (NKJV) “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…”

Express His personality, Exhibit His Power, Extend His Kingdom


2.  Reflect Accurately:

Revelation 1:5 (NKJV) “Jesus has made us kings and priests to His God and Father” (A King and a Priest: A Leader and a Connector, A Strong Place and an Intimate Place)
Lyrics from “My Father’s Arms”:

•   A place I want to go:  Am I that place?  The same yesterday, today and forever.  (Hebrews 13:8) The same when the news is good or bad.  The same when I am coming with something that will make you proud or something that will be disappointing.
•   Amazing comfort and rest:  wisdom, encouragement, protection, provision
•   A smile is never rare: Consistent, joy-filled demeanor.  What will those you are leading remember?  Example: Jeff and fielding ground balls.  Psalm 2:1-4 “Why are the nations so angry?
Why do they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one….But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.” 
•   Love is as free as the air: no strings attached, no manipulation or games, unconditional love, unmerited favor
•   Lack for nothing when I can see the love in your eyes and know that its all for me: undivided attention, no competition for the place that is supposed to be mine.  (Example:  my dad and off-days and vacations—he knew his work schedule was taking away valuable time so he made sure the leisure time was memorable)
•   I fear nothing at all when I’m safe in the arms of my father:  boundaries, protection, strength
•   When I fall (fail), I take comfort in knowing you are there: Are mercy and grace defining my response to failure?  Am I the place they want to run to when they fail, or the one they want it hidden from? 


So What:

What if I have blown it thus far?

Examples of the ‘failed fathers’ who are Bible heroes: 
Abraham: his mishandling of God’s promise has resulted in the whole Middle East crisis.
Isaac: tolerated deceitfulness and manipulation resulting in a war between his 2 sons’ descendants

Jacob: showed show much favoritism that his other kids tried to kill Joseph, which would have resulted in the total destruction of the Jewish people and mass starvation throughout the world.

They really blew it in some areas, and yet God was there, not only to help them repair the damage, but to take them to a higher place.  They are the fathers of our faith. Men who did some things right and a lot of stuff wrong, but they never failed to lean on God, good or bad.


1.   Recognize the relationships that have resulted in an inaccurate reflection and take responsibility:  Apologize, forgive, release, set boundaries, maybe even disconnect from some.  Repent for where we have missed it in our ‘reflections’
2.   Set a new goal (no matter how well we have reflected, we can go higher)
3.   Take your relationship with the one you are reflecting to an HNL (whole ‘nuther level) 1 John 2:12-14 (JBP) “…I write to you who are now fathers, because you have known him who has always existed…to you fathers because of your experience of the one who has always existed…”

06/13/12 - Cosmic Kids - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore discusses Cosmic Kids in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Cosmic Kids
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, June 13, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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06/10/12 - The Divine Flow PT1 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore begins the series "The Divine Flow" in this Sunday morning celebration.

The Divine Flow Part 1
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, June 12, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

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Sermon Notes:

The Divine Flow

Key Verses:

Matthew 9:35-38 “Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

The Divine Flow—Jesus is moved by the compassion flowing from Heaven into Him.  Then He challenges His followers to be moved by that same Divine Flow.  The Harvest becomes an adventure fueled by love instead of a fearful, laborious task.  We simply recognize the flow, and respond to it.  “I just felt like calling you.”  “I had you on my mind.”  “You don’t know me, but I was wondering if there is something I can pray with you about.”  All a response to love welling up inside of us and then being allowed to flow instead of being ‘dammed up’.

2 John 6 (NLT) “Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.”
(AMP) “…This is the commandment, as you have heard from the beginning, that you continue to walk in love [guided by it and following it].”

When we are motivated by love, guided by love, follow love, we will express His personality, exhibit His power and extend His Kingdom.  We will be drawn by that love to people who need us and to people we need.  When we learn to recognize, be guided by, and follow the Divine Flow we will see His life released in and through us.  We connect with mentors, models, partners and friends (the 4 levels of deep relationship we need in our lives) and we become mentors, models, partners and friends to others as a result of the Divine Flow that draws us to each other.  (talk about how the Lord orchestrated these connections in your life, but you had to be guided by and follow the Divine Flow, even when it made you step out of your comfort zone)


The 4 Deep Relationships the Divine Flow will find for every person:

Mentors: a wise and trusted counselor or teacher, someone to whom we give authority to speak into our lives, a spiritual ‘father or mother’  (Paul: many teachers but not many fathers)

Proverbs 5:9-14 (MSG) "...Why be exploited by those who care nothing for you? You don't want to end your life full of regrets, nothing but sin and bones, Saying, "Oh, why didn't I do what they told me? Why did I reject a disciplined life? Why didn't I listen to my mentors, or take my teachers seriously? My life is ruined! I haven't one blessed thing to show for my life!" Sin doesn't seek to mentor you.  It seeks to master you.  Learn to recognize, be guided by, and follow the Divine Flow. Note there is a counterfeit divine flow-just do a google search for 'divine flow.  (Example of following my own 'flow' instead the Divine Flow: me and Steve P., who I chose to mentor me in finances.  Result: disaster!)

James 5:10-11 (MSG) "Take the old prophets as your mentors. They put up with anything, went through everything, and never once quit, all the time honoring God. What a gift life is to those who stay the course! You've heard, of course, of Job's staying power, and you know how God brought it all together for him at the end. That's because God cares, cares right down to the last detail."


Models: Models are those you may or may not know personally but who you admire and imitate.  We might just imitate ‘specific’ areas and not every area.  Example: Ed Young, Jr., Andy Stanley, Seth Godin.

Jeremiah 10:2-3 (MSG)  "Listen most carefully: "Don't take the godless nations as your models. Don't be impressed by their glamour and glitz..."

Hebrews 6:11-12 “Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.”  (note the Divine Flow leads us to models)


Partners: In the ‘boat’ with you and pulling in the same direction.  “With you”, not just “for you”.  Sharing, participating, not just observing and cheering.  The outcome effects them too.

2 Corinthians 1:24 (MSG) "We're not in charge of how you live out the faith, looking over your shoulders, suspiciously critical. We're partners, working alongside you, joyfully expectant..."

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (MSG) "Don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong?..."


Friends:  Not just cheerleaders, but those that are for you and will speak truth into your life.  Proverbs 27:6 & 17—friends will tell you the truth even when it hurts and will make you stronger and better.

Psalm 16:3 (MSG) "And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make!"

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (MSG) "By yourself you're unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped."


An Example of the Divine Flow in the Bible:

Esther 2:17 “Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.”
Saul didn’t follow the Divine Flow when God ordered him to destroy every Amalekite, including women and children.  (1 Samuel 15) He followed the human flow instead of the Divine Flow (which we often don’t understand and may not see it ourselves).  In the book of Esther, it is Haman who is orchestrating the total genocide of the Jews.  Haman is a direct descendant of the Amalekites who were supposed to be destroyed by Saul.  His failure to be guided by and follow the Divine Flow has endangered all of God’s chosen people 500 years later.

David refused to follow the human flow and was guided by and followed the Divine Flow when he would not have Shimei killed even though he continually cursed the King.  (2 Samuel 16).  It is Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, who convinces her to become queen and position herself to save the Jewish people.  Mordecai is a direct descendant of Shimei!  Had David killed Shimei, the Jews would have been slaughtered by Haman’s plan.  Had Saul obeyed, there would have been no Haman to develop the plan. 

Now Esther, guided by and following the Divine Flow, is used by God to save His people from destruction. 

All this a result of the Divine Flow (Grace) overcoming the mistakes of the human flow (self-will and works).  Also a great example of why  we don’t have to understand every move God asks us to make.  We simply have to trust that God is good and is for us.


Finding the Divine Flow:

John 7:38 “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”   The Divine Flow is available to anyone for whom Jesus is Lord.  (Note, He is everyone’s Savior and Lord to some. Acts 2:36.  It’s all about choice again.)

2 Kings 4:6 “Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.”  We are the vessels of the Holy Spirit and as long as the vessels are available there will be a divine flow of His love through us to others. 2 Corinthians 4:7 “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”


So What: 

Making sure we are available vessels:

Philippians 2:1  [Have the Attitude of Christ] Guard your heart and keeping it clear from blockages to the Divine Flow.  Just like we can experience blockages to the flow of blood to our physical heart, we can create blockages to our spiritual heart, stopping the flow of His love to us and through us.  Paul gives us some key questions to ask ourselves continually for a ‘heart health checkup’. Note:  here’s where the 4 deep relationships help us—people who will give us honest answers to these questions because we will deceive ourselves.  How’s your flow? “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Do we look for hope in every situation?  Are we obnoxiously optimistic?  Do we offer encouragement to others or add to their discouragement?  Are constantly having to be encouraged by others? Any comfort from his love?  Do we find peace and comfort in His presence no matter what is going on around us or in us?  Do we provide comfort to others or are we always the one being comforted?  Any fellowship together in the Spirit?  Are we friendly, reaching beyond our discomfort to make intentional connections with other believers (note: “in the Spirit”)?  Do we seek out Dinner Groups, Reel Life Groups, plan on attending the ManUP Sports Challenge this Saturday?  Do we move beyond what is convenient to accomplish what is helpful and healthy?  Or do we complain about not having friends, where are my visitors when I am sick, why don’t I ever get invitations?  Are your hearts tender and compassionate?”  Are we easily moved by the hurts and needs of others or have we become cynical and suspicious?  What is your thought process when you see a guy standing on the side of the road with a sign “Hungry”?  Note our 1st verse: Jesus was moved by the needs of people He knew would reject Him, betray Him, and crucify Him.   Guard your heart, have people in your life who will tell you when you are not, be guided by and follow the Love of God and the Divine Flow will always flow to you and through you, releasing the “rich and satisfying life” Jesus came to give us.

05/28/12 - Route 456 PT3 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Route 456" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Route 456 Part 3
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, May 28, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

Don't fight like a man.  Win like Jesus!

Key Verse: (JBP) vs. 10-12: “And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.”

•   Vs. 1-9: Practice submission and righteous authority. 
•   Vs. 10-12: Predictable resistance-we have an enemy and we will face opposition.  Be proactive rather than reactive.
   -   There is no 'armor of man' that will prevail in these battles.
   -   Make sure the “Battle is the Lord’s” and not ours. 
•   Vs. 13-17: The Full Armor of God:
   -   Unlike the ill-fitting armor of Saul on David, this armor will fit perfectly. It is our responsibility to become familiar with it and skilled in its use.
   -   Belt of Truth: Note how the belt protects the vulnerable reproductive organs.  What are we reproducing?
   -   Body armor (breastplate) of Righteousness: Protects the vital inner organs.  Right-standing with God. Use the 'I Am' card.
   -   Shoes: Peace ‘comes from’ the Good News and that prepares you.  Does this tell us one of the biggest attacks will be worry and fear? 
   -   Shield of Faith: full length shield, not the shorter shield.  Able to hide behind it.  The attacks hit the shield instead of me.
   -   Helmet: Get our thinking in line with our salvation.  (Romans 8). 
•   Vs. 18-24:  Prayer—Submit so you can stand.  Stand by kneeling. 

So What:
•   Get in the Word  (SOAP and “I AM” Card)
•   Get Connected (Local Church, friendships, intentional discomfort)
•   Get Involved (Dream Team and Servolution) Vs. 21-24—note the last thing Paul writes to these folks he loves so much—stay up to date, stay involved. 

05/23/12 - A Tree Planted - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore teaches on "A Tree Planted" during this Wednesday evening celebration.

A Tree Planted
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

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. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”  (vs. 3 TNIV: They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers.)

•   The joys…plural, indicating a lot of joy!
•   Delight in the Word, (MSG) “Thrill to God’s Word”;
•   Like trees planted (stable, settled, permanency); along the riverbank—access to the ‘life supply’
•   Bearing fruit in season—on time, when it is needed or expected
•   Leaves never wither—leaves are a sign of what’s going on with the roots
•   Prosper in all they do—success because they are pursuing the things God pursues, valuing what God values, putting their hands to those things He is doing.

Jeremiah 17:7-9 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
 and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. 8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
 or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. 9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?” God does and reveals it to us by His Word.  We can be deceived by our own leading, which is why we must embrace His Word and His Spirit.

Psalm 92:12 “But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.”  Palms are always connected with victory in the Bible—1st time mentioned is Exodus 15 at Elim where the Israelites arrived weary and worn and left refreshed and ready to win.  The last place is Revelation 7 where it is used to describe those who have won the victory and overcome the tribulation.
(AMP) 12 The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible].
13 Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 [Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment].
15 [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.


Ephesians 3:16-18 “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.”

Romans 11:16 “And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.”

Jesus’ teaching on a foundation of 3 strong roots for the tree:
Matthew 6
1.   Praying
2.   Fasting
3.   Generosity

05/13/12 - Route 456 PT1 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore begins the series "Route 456" in this Sunday morning celebration.

Route 456 Part 1
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, May 13, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast


Sermon Notes:

Route 456

Big Idea:  We have been given a ‘new life’, not an addition to our old life.  Too many times we have complicated life because we do not embrace the ‘new life’ but add it onto the parts of the ‘old life’ we think we want to keep.  So, like the old house that is continually being renovated, it becomes hard to navigate.  Instead of simplicity we have to go through a bedroom, a bathroom and the den to get to the kitchen.  Ephesians 4, 5 and 6, like Jesus’ description in His 1st message in Matthew 5, are a description of the new life we have been given.  Paul is encouraging us to leave the old life behind and embrace this new way of living.  Like the ‘wineskin’ analogy of Jesus, patching the 2 together will not work. 

Like the Israelites after God brought them out of Egypt, He is teaching us His way of life, and how to ‘re-present’ Him well as His children on this earth.  Instead of our old, self-focused, go-my-own-way independent lifestyle, He wants us to embrace this new life that is others-focused and requires us to be interdependent.  The result is rich and satisfying life, the simple life, instead of complicated life that continually requires my effort to sustain.

Main Points from Ephesians 4:
1.   Christians should be as one, as God is one (we need each other and are connected to each other-compare to Trinity). Vs. 1-6

2.   God’s gifts vary, but it is the same God who gives (for our good.  Let the gifts be a blessing to you.  We want pastor's to pastor, prophets to prophesy, etc. because our good-maturity results) vs. 7-13

3.   True maturity means growing up “into” Christ.  Maturity is defined by the Word.  The world will also define it.  The world tells you what to think. God teaches us how to think.  (compare world's definition of open-minded with the Word's). Vs. 14-16

4.   Have no more to do with the old life! Learn the new. Embrace the new instead of 'adding onto the old'.  Stop believing the lie.  Vs. 17-27.

5.   The new life means positive good. Re-present (Exodus 20:7).  The natural outflow of putting on Christ is the Good-ness of the Kingdom.  Vs. 28-32


So What:

•   “Those who are deceived don’t know they are deceived.” Frangipane.  Get honest with God, asking Him to ‘open the eyes of your heart’ to see the areas we justify and rationalize that are not ‘from Christ’.  Remove the “hidden and unknown” areas of our lives that will destroy us by shrinking the “Private” areas.   Honesty, humility, feedback from trustworthy sources and God.
•   SOAP—don’t do it alone.  SOAP groups, family groups.

05/09/12 - Exodus PT2 - Pastor Tony Ashmore

Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the teaching on "Exodus" in this Wednesday evening celebration.

Exodus PT2
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Wednesday, April 09, 2012

www.mylifegatechurch.com

Listen now: Download today's podcast