BoW idea

What about putting BoW on CD and offering it to churches to give away in their next steps courses?  Brand with church name / logo.  Provide link in software to sign up for email updates (software updates, notice of premium edition available online)

•  Probably would want church representative to do quality assurance approval

The Rock San Diego – 1/4/09

• Just because you obey God, you could disobey God in the process (by choosing your own method rather than trusting and obeying)

1 – Ask God himself to be the one who punishes you according to His mercy

• God, I’m wrong, I’m sorry (repentance has no defense)
• Being able to admit you are wrong is liberating

2 – Ask God to show you the consequences of your sin

• Pain is a gift of God
• Jesus came felt pain in the same way we do – so that He can personally relate
• It’s impossible to know how your actions / behavior affect others (ripple effect)

3 – Make a meaningful sacrifice to God for His forgiveness

• Don’t offer God something that cost you nothing (in your heart)
• Change your behavior
• Just do what God tells you to do – don’t worry about anyone else
• Nothing should be so dear to you that you’re not willing to let it go to be more holy
• Show God you value your relationship with Him – show Him you mean it
• Don’t leave your sin still on you
• Pain teaches you change behavior

– Expect eternal value from a good confession

• 2 Chronicles 3:1-2
• Quit the game and admit you’re wrong, ask forgiveness, sacrifice, and repent
• Let go – stop holding on to stuff dragging you down

Church In These Times

Christ’s church is a congregation of believers.  Is that really what churches are in these times?  Has Satan perverted something pure and holy?  A church is for community, for missionary work, for organized worship and praise (as distinct from moment-by-moment worship and praise for coming face to face with God), and evangelizing.  

A church must understand its congregation in order to direct its own mission.  If a church understands that perhaps only 10% of its congregation are true committed believers, who trust, obey, and worship God the other 98% of the week, then its mission should clearly be on evangelism, and perhaps praise and worship, but never at the expense of speaking directly about the realities of God’s truth.  There is no point in building a better sense of community within the church, or even in missionary work, if the people in that community or doing the work are not there in the name of the true and living God.

Additionally, the community would be most pure when the ratio of true believers is higher.  And, the missionary work would flourish as a higher ratio of the congregation develops a personal relationship with God that, in and of itself, motivates them to do His work.

SeaCoast Grace

• Faith is like a growing grassfire (creeping), with the edge being the front of obedience
• Before church this morning, I fought the impression I should bring my journal in to service.  One of the greatest lessons today was that I should never miss an opportunity to record how the spirit is leading / teaching me.

Luke 10: 38-42

Luke 10: 38-42 is fitting for me.  It’s about a woman (Martha) who tries to do many things to serve Jesus, and her sister (Mary), who simply sat at His feet.  Jesus found favor with the sister, Mary.

Luke 8:13

Luke 8:13 – They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away

Luke 6:27-32

Luke 6:27-32 – Love your enemies… for sinners also love those that love them

Doug Batchelor

When Satan knocks, let Jesus answer the door

Amazing Facts – session 27

http://www.bibleuniversity.com/Video/CourseID2/NR27.asx

• God forgives all types of sin – except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
• Jesus is a better savior than you are a sinner
• Ask God to reveal your sins to you – and then confess and forsake (repent)
• When God calls you, drop everything and obey, because He may not call you again
• When His Spirit is in you, it’s time to listen – the Spirit may quiet
• By persistently ignoring God, you grieve away the Holy Spirit
• Don’t wait until the rain starts to enter the boat – the door will be closed
• When God leads you to salvation, don’t even look back
• Walk in the light and God will provide more light
• Walk in the light – don’t just look at the light
• The sin God will not forgive, is the sin that you will not repent for
• Adultery can begin with just a lingering look
• When you reject truth, you reject Christ
• How would you act if you knew that Jesus was returning next week?
• Sanctification is a process – Give us this day our daily bread (‘I am the bread of life’)
• When Satan knocks, let Jesus answer the door

Amazing Facts – session 26

http://www.bibleuniversity.com/Video/CourseID2/NR26.asx

• We love God because He first loves us
• You can’t obey God if you don’t love God.  You can’t love God if you don’t know God.
• All love relationships need commitment (loyalty) and trust
• Our sins separate us from God – we naturally run from God
• Sin pleasure is temporary
• The Holy Spirit represents tremendous power;  God gives it for obedience and a pure heart
• God’s principles are for our protection and for our enhanced happiness
• If you’re truly a Christian, there’s a transformation that has and is taking place.  The things you used to love, you may now hate, and the things you hated you may now love.
• Stay as far away from the world as you can – don’t tip-toe with it
• Why would you want to fool around with playing on the edge of the will of God, when you could be so close to "falling off the cliff" and back into the world
• Proverbs 23:7  –  As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
• You become what you worship
• Music that you’re attracted to isn’t necessarily right for you – would Jesus listen to it?  Are the words and the music godly?
• Dancing is not evil – as long as it’s the type that you can do with the same sex (man with a man, woman with a woman – or not sexually oriented)
• Do the movies you watch, music you listen to, the way you dance make someone question your spiritual commitment?
•  People should not notice what is on a Christian, they should notice what’s in a Christian – even jewelry is worldly.  The purpose for clothing is modesty, not display.  Does God want us to wear our money?
• You would not even enjoy Heaven unless your heart is pure
• Act in love for God – make choices because of your love for God