Text: Psalm 112:1-10

Text: Isaiah 55:6-9 “Take the High Road”

INTRODUCTION:

1. Friday night, as a family we traveled to Boston.
   1. We stood on the east side of the Charles River.
   2. I imagined the British occupation of Boston in 1775 and pictured Washington and the Continentals in Cambridge.
2. Then I realized, America is still at war …
   1. This is not a war for national independence, or against terrorists.
   2. This great struggle is the war for the mind and soul of America.
3. Isaiah the prophet presented God’s people with truth.
   1. Isaiah witnessed the decline and fall of Israel.
   2. Isaiah saw the thunderclouds coming toward Judah.
   3. *God led the prophets to warn and offer hope.
4. I can’t change America, but I can change myself.
   1. Our change can be a powerful weapon in the hands of God.
   2. *Even the most introverted person influences about 10.000 people in his lifetime.
   3. Change is an inside job … starts with our mind, thoughts.
   4. Forces in America encourage people to ignore God.
   5. You can preoccupy yourself with a host of activities and media saturation and hardly even think of God.
   6. The lack of God always pulls us lower in morals, decency.

QUESTION:
What will it take for us to change from lower to higher … from our thoughts to God’s thoughts?

ANSWER:
We must choose the right road. We must exercise our faith in what God says. How?

1. Believe what God says about Himself.
   1. Do you believe that God is wise enough to reveal Himself?
   2. God proclaims, “I am available” (v.6)
   3. He is high and holy, but has invited us to come up.
   4. “He can be found” (v.6)
   5. Some hold on to thought like: “you can never really know if there is a God.”
   6. Some say, “God has hidden Himself in the universe.” Nature.
   7. He is near.
   8. “Call on Him while He is near.” (v.6b)
   9. “He is not far from each one of us.” (Acts 17:27)
   10. God proclaims, “I am merciful.” (v.7b)
   11. He desires to freely pardon (v.7b) (Hebrew “multiply pardon”)
   12. He revealed His mercy in His Son sent from heaven.
   13. “But he was periced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5
   14. *Some people say they believe in God’s availability and mercy, but it makes little difference in how they think and live. They live down low.
2. We must believe what God says about ourselves.
   1. God says we must seek Him. (v.6)
   2. As Americans we are searching for spiritual experience.
   3. Seeking God pushes us outside our self-centered, self-deceived thoughts. (I can do it alone.)
   4. God says we must be willing to turn, change. (v.7)
   5. This is true for the non-believer.
   6. *I had to be willing to turn to God and forsake sin.
   7. This is true for the believer. (The message of Isaiah was first to God’s people.)
3. God says, choose the high road. (vv.8-9)
   1. God wants our life filled with beauty, awe.
   2. Being filled with the thoughts of the world only bring you down.

Our culture affects us more than we realize.

Why does God want us to take the high road?

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
Choose the high road …

Text: Matthew 28: 18-20

INTRODUCTION:

• I sat in this chair some weeks ago and told you we were going to take the next four weeks and talk about us, who we are, who we are becoming and where we are going.
• We began by letting the words of Jesus speak into our lives, first He told us to Honor our parents, (Donna Goss gave a great testimony of how honoring her mother lead to her mother receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior).
• Next, Jesus told us to despise not the little ones, and men were huddled down at this altar and encouraged to write, call and take out on a date their sons and daughters.
• Last week Jesus told us to honor marriage and we saw not only did God create marriage, have in interest in marriage, but also he laid out a perfect design for every marriage to understand and follow.
• Today we are again going to hear words that Jesus spoke. These words give common purpose to every Christian home. But instead of beginning with Jesus’ words we are going to end with them.

QUOTE:

“The common response to the spiritual development of children, then, is for parents to seek the best help they can find and then get out of the way.” -George Barna-

TRANSITION:

I would like to ask you to take these next few minutes and come on a journey with me. In order to benefit from the journey you will have to take all your pre conceived notions about family life and any conclusions you have already made about family life and Christianity and lay them aside.

1. In this journey we will simply allow the bible to speak to us all by itself, about what should be happening inside a Christian home.
2. I have some helpers this morning that will be assisting us on our journey.
3. The journey will have four stops and each stop gives incredibly specific instructions for our lives. So specific you may get uncomfortable, but let me assure you the word of God wants you and your home to be prosperous and successful!

DEUTERONOMY 6:6-9

1. 1st responsibility is to place God’s words in our hearts. (impress them inside yourself)
2. Teach with diligence these words to your children.
3. TALK ABOUT THEM (sit at home, go about your day, evening & morning)
4. Keep them before your eyes by having the visibly on display in your house. (example)

PSALM 78:5-7

1. Father’s are commanded to declare to their children God’s law (God’s ways)
2. Specific purpose: Next generation would be spiritually prepared (3 generations-parents, children, grandchildren)
3. The need for the next generation:
4. Hope in God (growing faith in God)
5. Not Forget His works (healthy fear of the Lord)
6. Obey His commands (living relationship with Jesus Christ)

PROVERBS 6:20-23

1. Specific responsibilities; first for the parents
2. Father’s commands & mother’s teachings (mom & dad are command here by the word of God to have a plan for their children)
3. If I asked your children, what does your dad stand for? What is your mom teaching you? What would our children respond?
4. Second, responsibility of the children (impress them on your heart and around your neck)
5. They will lead you, keep you and speak to you as you go on in life.
6. See how important it is to have commands & laws that we instill in our children!
7. They work together like a lamp & light to guide in an ever growing dark world. (show oil lamp picture)

MATTHEW 28:18-20

1. Now we get to the words of Jesus. Because He posses all authority we are told to do something.
2. Make disciples (of all nations): Disciple = disciplined learner
3. TEACHING THEM (know God)
4. TO OBEY (see it modeled, understand what it means to them, have questions answered, see benefits and consequences)
5. EVERYTHING
6. I COMMANDED YOU
7. Our homes should be Learning Centers; where everyone is leaning to obey everything Jesus commanded.
8. The great commission is simply an extension of what should be happening in our homes as Christians.
9. If we are purposing to follow God’s ways for our homes then when we get to the Great Commission to go and teach people to obey Jesus, we & are children will be experts!

QUOTE:

“After all, God never told His followers to take over the world through force or intelligence. He simply told us to have children and then raise them to honor God in all they do. Therefore, you might logically conclude that bearing and raising children is not only our most enduring legacy but also one of our greatest personal responsibilities.” -George Barna-

CLOSING

• According to the Word of God, parents have a simple but deeply profound responsibility to evangelize & disciple their children.
• The local church should be and intimate and valuable partner.
• Israel cried for deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, God sent a Moses, but he was a baby.
• When Israel needed a judge to replace a corrupt leader named Eli, God sent Samuel, but he was a young boy.
• When the whole world needed a Savior, God sent Jesus, but he was a child.
• I was a young Christian, but hungry, and growing in the Word and ways of God. I was about to be put into a position of leadership in a church and I wondered what God was looking for. I came upon a Scripture that changed the focus of my life, because I was focusing all my attention on church & ministry, but just as I was about to be put into a position of leadership I read God’s perspective on it:
• 1 Timothy 3:4, 5 – “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
• I began to understand that perhaps God’s church is struggling because we have not focused on our families.
• God determines potential leaders by what is happening at home. Do we?

ALTAR

• Invite up all young people 18 and under. Here is a generation that needs to be disciple… that begins at home.
• Who will teach them, who will model it for them, who will answer their questions, bring them understanding, who will love them with the love of the Lord.
• Who will join these young people and say I want to turn my home into a discipleship center for the Lord, no matter who lives there!

Text: Matthew 19:4-6

INTRODUCTION

• We are focusing our attention this month on the Christian home.
• We first looked at honoring our parents, last week turning our hearts to children and today we are going to look at marriage.
• Remember, 19 out of 20 families have no type of worship experience together outside of church.
• The foundational relationship for all of mankind, not just the spiritual health of the family, is the husband, wife relationship.

TRANSITION:

Jesus said, “Haven’t you read…that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” -Matthew 19: 4-6-

“THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH. SO THEY ARE NO LONGER TWO BUT ONE.” -Jesus Christ- (describes the covenant between the three)

• “In marriage each one willingly offers all he has to the other.”
• “Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.” -Malachi 2:15-16-

HONOR MARRIAGE

Invite Tatiana to come and we will share together for the next few minutes.

Before we begin, let me say that what we are going to share next is what we have learned and are learning even today about how the Word of God applies to marriages and is the source of a dynamic marriage for the lord.

EXPOSING THE ENEMY OF MARRIAGE

1. Because God created marriage between a man and a woman and loves marriage, the enemy hates marriage.
2. Marriage is the picture of Jesus and the Church (the enemy hates both) and marriage is the plan God created & designed for godly offspring (the enemy hates godly offspring as well).
3. So, the enemy will take God’s design for marriage and make-up a counterfeit and sell it to couples so they choose it over God’s design.
4. God’s design is shared in 1 Corinthians 11:3 – “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
5. God speaks to us, protects us, teaches us and leads us from inside of His Perfect Design.
6. The enemy’s desire is for husbands and wives to work outside of this design.
7. This picture describes our RESPONSIBILITY to God. (show 1 Cor. 11:3)
8. This picture describes our RELATIONSHIP to God (Galatians 3: 28-29; 1 Peter 3:7)
   1. Gal. 3:28,29 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (value of our God designed role)
   2. 1 Peter 3:7 – “Husbands, dwell with them (wives) according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life.”
9. This is a test of our virtue (responsibility); this is picture of our value (relationship).
10. The roles of male, female, husband & wife are still our responsibility; but through the finished work of Jesus Christ all people are of equal value, have equal access to Jesus, can achieve great things for the Lord and have the potential to store up treasure in heaven equally! To that I say Amen!

THE CHALLENGE

It was challenge to me not to mix these two up in my mind. God says to renew our minds. Ladies/wives we need to understand our responsibilities and challenges that God had given us in His design.

1. Respect Him: Ephesians 5:33b – “and the wife see that she reverence her husband.”
   1. One way to respect your husband is to ask him your spiritual questions.
   2. Realize that God will use him (saved or unsaved) to give you guidance. (1 Cor. 14:35)
2. Accept Him: Confidence that God is working through him (Romans 8:28)
3. Be Grateful for Him: (1 Thess. 5:18- “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”) HERE’S HOW
   1. Giving expectations to God and taking them off your husband.
   2. Learning contentment with Godliness (Col. 3:1) growing character
4. Influence Him: Gain influence by not rehearsing past failures but by demonstrating present faithfulness in these areas:
   1. Genuine love; loyalty; servant’s heart; asking forgiveness
   2. Work on goals together with your husband
   3. Influence him by LIVING IN THE NOW LADIES!! LOVE IN THE NOW!!

HUSBANDS: We to need to understand our challenge in the responsibility that is given to us in God’s design.

1. Husbands need to understand that they are not on the top of the chain of command. As the wife is under the husband, so is the husband under Christ. We need to look up for our direction & answers.
2. We are given the responsibility to be spiritual leaders. Our wives need to experience us actually leading spiritually. This means four things:
   1. Regular times in God’s Word
   2. Faithfulness in prayer
   3. Regular church attendance
   4. Discussion of spiritual matters, followed by searching the scriptures for God’s answer.
3. Our wives need to know that they are meeting vital needs in our lives that no one else can meet. (sharing our fears, goals, heart)
4. Our wives need to know that we will listen to hear their heart. They need to know that we are making efforts to understand them.
   1. But honey, do you UNDERSTAND what I mean?
   2. Do you UNDERSTAND what I am trying to say?
   3. If our wives don’t think we will even try to understand them they will get discouraged, then lose hope, that leads to depression.

BEACH STORY

WE NEED EACH OTHER TO SUCCEED! (Genesis 2:18)

1. Husbands: It is not good for man to be alone. (thought life, work, heart, dreams)
2. Wife: I will make a helper

Text: Matthew 18:1-4; 10

INTRODUCTION

• As we continue to look at the Christian home these next few weeks, this morning we will focus our attention on “little ones.”
• I would like to go directly to the scriptures this morning and right to the words that Jesus spoke in Matthew 18:1-4; 10.
• This command of Jesus to despise not one of these little ones was initiated by a question His disciples asked him: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
• KINGDOM GREATS:
  • Greatest in the kingdom of computers: Bill Gates
  • Greatest in the kingdom of TV talk shows: Oprah
  • Greatest in the kingdom of rock-n-roll: Elvis Presley
  • Greatest in the kingdom of baseball: Babe Ruth
  • Greatest in the kingdom on authors: William Shakespeare
  • Greatest in the kingdom of composers: Bach
• The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is a whole different question. (eternity)
• Jesus calls a little child to himself and basically shocks the disciples.
• Then in Matt. 18:10 – Jesus says, take heed that you despise not one of these little ones!

THE BIBLE IS VERY CLEAR IN WHO IS KEY IN RAISING “THESE LITTLE ONES”

1. Malachi 4:6 – “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children.”
2. Luke 1:17 – “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.”
3. Proverbs 23:36 – “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.”
4. Ephesians 6:4 – “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

WHAT IS THE ENEMY’S GOAL IN EVERY HOME?

1. Matthew 12:29 – “Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house.”
2. The enemy wants the spoils, the little ones, the next generation. So he is active in binding the strong man (dad) so he can get at the hearts & minds of the children.
3. Psalm 127:3 – “Children are a heritage of the Lord.”

WHAT IS THE ENEMY’S PLAN?

1. To persuade men to “despise” the little ones God has given them.
2. Jesus commanded, “Take heed, that ye despise not one of these little ones.”
3. What does Jesus mean and why did He have to warn us of it?

DESPISE

1. The word that Jesus used for despise implies motion downward, have an opinion of.
2. Despising a little one begins by thinking that they are not very important or valuable.
3. Right away we dismiss ourselves because we believe our little ones are very important and valuable to us.
4. But is what we think a reality in the lives of our children.
5. About 85% of young people raised their hand when asked the question: “Have you done things that you know are wrong and have not yet told your dad about?”
6. Why? Because my dad loves me but he doesn’t understand me.
7. The things in our lives that are important and valuable to us we take the time, energy and investment to understand them.
8. Our sons & daughters will trust us as far as we understand them, after that they pull back and trust friends, TV, movie, music, sport heroes and whoever else is available.
9. Three things hinder every dad: Mark 4:19 – “The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

OBSTACLES

1. Two of the greatest obstacles for every dad to overcome are these:
2. Despising little ones is caused by thinking that they have little or nothing to contribute to our lives and that we are more important than they are.
3. Despising little ones is often motivated when our personal freedoms are limited because of their needs or weaknesses.
4. If we are obligated to make adjustments in our schedules or choices of activities in order to advance the welfare of a little one, we tend to get frustrated and resentful.

ANSWER

1. Pursue your children’s heart. Go and get it. Win their favor.
2. Make a life changing covenant that your goal is now to get their heart.
3. It will cost you time, energy, money, hobbies, maybe even friendships, but the reward will far outweigh all of those and more put together.

HOW

1. LETTER
2. CALL
3. DATE
4. ALL THREE BATHED IN PRAYER

• I personally make myself available to any dad here that will take up his cross and follow the call the win the hearts of sons and daughters for Jesus Christ.
• www.david.mcintosh@laog.org is my e-mail I make myself available to help anyone get started.

CLOSING

Have all five of my children come up front:

• Matthew = son of my old age, sit and sing with him every night (gift of God)
• Andrew = 2nd son, I am the 2nd son we relate. (courageous)
• David = 1st born son, sign of my strength (beloved)
• Hannah = 2nd born child, I am the 2nd born child, (graceful)
• Rebecca = 1st born, paves the way (faithful)

Read Hannah letter, share date with Rebecca

• “Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking Godly offspring.” -Malachi 2:15
• “You have wearied the Lord with your words.” -Malachi 2:17
• Altar Call for dad & all men to make a covenant with the Lord to pursue the heart of your children, with letters, calls and dates, bathed in prayer!

Text: Matthew 15:4

INTRODUCTION

• We are going to take the next 4 weeks and focus our attention to the Christian home. If we don’t get what is experienced & taught at church into our home lives, we have failed as followers of Jesus Christ.
• In a typical week, fewer than 10 % of parents who regularly attend church with their kids read the Bible together, pray together (other than meal time) or participate in an act of service as a family unit.
• 1 out of 20 families have any type of worship experience together with their kids, other than while they are at church.
• In short, most families do not have a genuine spiritual life together! (George Barna)

Transition: In these next 4 weeks we are going to focus specifically on the words of Jesus. He has laid out four essential principles that when embraced and practiced, our homes will be transformed by the power of His Word.

TODAY IS PRINCIPLE #1: HONOR YOUR PARENTS (MATTHEW 15:4)

“For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.”

WHAT IS HONOR?

1. The word “Honor” = to affix value to something that belongs to us or is related to us; to revere.
2. Mark 7:6 – “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” (Insight here is that honor involves lip praise + reverence from the heart)
3. John 5:23 – “That all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.”
4. This is the same honor we are to honor our parents with (Jesus used the same word)
5. “God never wastes parents on teenagers. He chooses just the right ones to carry out His bigger plans.”
6. To honor your parents is to be reminded in your spirit that God gave them His authority and will work through them (not around them) to accomplish His will.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS IN OUR LIVES & HOMES

1. Anytime a biblical principle is established in the O.T. law, and given again by Jesus in His teachings and reinforced in the Epistles, it is directly related to success in life.
2. Exodus 20:12 – “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
3. Matthew 15:4 – “For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother and anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.”
4. Colossians 3:20 – “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
5. The honor we give to our earthly fathers is an expression of the honor we are showing to our heavenly Father, who gave us our earthly father.

THREE LEVELS OF HONOR

1. HONOR THROUGH OBEDIENCE
   1. Children first honor their parents with obedience.
   2. Obedience is quickly & cheerfully carrying out the commands of those who are responsible for me.
   3. The opposite of obedience is “willfulness.” It’s really my will or yours.
   4. Luke 2:49-52 – “Why were you searching for me? he asked. Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house? But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them…And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
   5. The greatest obstacle is when parents don’t understand us.
2. HONOR THROUGH WISDOM
   1. As a child grows and becomes a young adult they honor their parents by walking in Godly wisdom.
   2. To listen to counsel from your parents and walk in wisdom is what the Scripture tells us in Proverbs 10:1 – “A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”
   3. 3 John 4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
   4. Wisdom is seeing my life from God’s perspective.
   5. Story of purchasing a house with my dad’s help, going to the bank together and getting the credit report, my wife & I no debt, agent looked at my dad and said, good training dad!
3. HONOR WITH SUPPORT WHEN PARENTS BECOME OLDER
   1. As parents become older and especially if and when they are unable to care for themselves, they are to be honored by the care and assistance of their sons and daughters.
   2. Jesus honored His mother in her later years by giving the responsibility for her care to His disciple John because Jesus knew He was not going to be there to do it.
   3. Proverbs 30:11 – “There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.”
   4. “When we think we are strong and self-sufficient, we should remind ourselves of the early years when we were weak and totally dependent on the care of our parents.

SUMMARY

We honor our parents by obedience to them, walking in wisdom and supporting them.

GREATEST OBSTABLE: THEY DON’T DESERVE IT!

1. God has motivated us with the promise that it will go well with us if we honor our parents.
2. They might not deserve it, but God deserves your best and your children deserve your best.
3. Here is the clarion call from Jesus: John 13:34 – “A new command I give you: Love one another, as I have love you, so you must love one another.”
4. We don’t love our parents as they love us; we love them as Jesus loves us!

CLOSE

1. If you want the presence of God to fill your home it begins with a spirit of honor & reverence toward God and then toward each other (especially parents)
2. If you feel your children do not honor you, you have not fostered an honoring atmosphere or you have not or still do not honor your parents.
3. You honor your parents, not until they die, but until you die.
4. Response, to come as families, heads of households, children, I call to repent of a spirit of disrespect and to ask God to begin a great work in your life & home, starting with obedience to Jesus command to Honor your father & mother!

Text: Joshua 3:1-6; 14-17
Theme: With God’s help I must plan for change.

INTRODUCTION:

1. When I first gave my life to Jesus, a world of change opened up.
   1. “I passed from death to life.” 1 John 3:14
   2. I wanted to become like Jesus, but I noticed a resistance.
   3. My change became selective.
   4. But to resist change would steer me into a self-imposed desert.
2. The Israelites, God’s people, wanted to cross over.
   1. They faced great challenges - there was a swollen river ahead.
   2. To rush as a mob meant sure disaster.
   3. They needed a plan for change.
3. There are two dynamics to the experiencing of God’s good purpose.
   1. God who works in you.
   2. You, as you work out your salvation.
   3. How do we work together with God to plan for change?

Text: Joshua 3:1-6
Theme: With God’s help I must plan for change.
“Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.” -Philippians 2:12b-13

1. God does his part. (He provides us the plan to go from desert to promised land)
   1. What plan did God give the Israelites? What plan does God give us?
   2. God gave the people a vision for change. (Here is where you are, there is where you can be.)
   3. The Word of God contains His vision for us.
   4. We can live in victory, overcoming sin and evil.
   5. God gave the people leaders who modeled change and encouraged change.
   6. Moses and Joshua were not afraid to lead.
   7. This church has leaders becoming like Christ in an increasingly godless world.
   8. God provided His presence.
   9. “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God … you are to move out from your positions and follow it.” –Joshua 3:3
   10. God provided His power.
   11. “I will lead you step by step.”
   12. “I will enable you to cross over.”
   13. God will do what we cannot, but God will not do what we can do.
2. We must do our part.
   1. How do we plan for change?
   2. Move toward good change.
   3. They “went to the Jordan” and camped there. (v 1)
   4. Hang out with people willing to obey God.
   5. Position yourself in a place where you can receive God’s plan for change.
   6. Keep your focus.
   7. “Then you will know which way to go since you have never been this way before.” –Joshua 3:4
   8. Obedience to Jesus is the goal (becoming like Him).
   9. We get inspired for change and then easily go back to the old habits. Change takes repetition and consistency before becoming a habit (3 months).
   10. “Consecrate yourselves.” (v 5)
   11. Consecration – to be set apart for a person or purpose.
   12. God won’t show us His will if we have no intention of doing it.
   13. Step out into the plan of God. (read Joshua 3:14-17)
   14. The priests willingly stepped into the Jordan.
   15. As they obeyed God’s plan the power of God showed up.
   16. It takes courage and faith to step out. Don’t just talk about it.

CONCLUSION:

1. Do you have a plan for change?
   1. What is the one area that God wants you to change first?
   2. As a church we’re working on loving relationships at home and church, small groups and team work. Why? We see discipleship as God’s promised land.
2. Are you willing to start a plan for change?

Text: Joshua 1:1-9
Theme: With God’s help I can change.

INTRODUCTION:

The story of Henry Ford: Change is inevitable, growth is optional.

1. God spoke to a man named Joshua.
   1. “Moses my servant is dead.” Joshua 1:2
   2. Life for Joshua and the Israelites would change.
   3. Moses was the dominant person in 4 of the 5 first books.
   4. Moses died, but God’s plan did not die with Moses.
   5. God’s next word to Joshua was …
   6. “Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River.” Joshua 1:2
   7. How are we to “get ready” for change?
   8. (God did not give Joshua a detailed plan. First He spoke to his heart.)
2. Readiness begins by how we perceive change (attitude).
   1. We don’t feel an urgency to change.
   2. We can try to refuse to change.

God loves us just the way we are, but He loves us too much to let us stay that way.
Theme: With God’s help I can change.
Text: Joshua 1:1-9

1. Don’t let the past prevent you from change. (The past is important. Learn from it, don’t live in it.)
   1. The desert wanderings were all they knew for 40 years.
   2. Life would be very different from what they knew.
   3. No Moses / There would be:
   4. No cloud, fire / Battles to fight
   5. No manna / Land to divide
   6. No large group / Temptations to overcome
   7. But also …
   8. No wandering / Great opportunities
   9. No discipline / Multiplied blessings
   10. Joshua could have been “stuck in park.”
   11. “I was always Moses’ assistant, his aide.”
   12. “I’ve already been in a battle or two … and won.” (he would have been older than almost all the others.)
   13. Philippians 3:12b-13 “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”
2. Anticipate the future with faith. (With God’s help I can change.)
   1. After God said, “get ready”, He filled Joshua’s future outlook with promises (vv 3-5).
   2. “I will give you every place you set your foot.” (v 3)
   3. “I will give you extended territory.” (v 4)
   4. “I will give you my abiding presence.” (v 5)
   5. “No one will be able to stand up against you …”
   6. Will we believe God or our fears?
   7. Joshua could have filled his mind with doubts. (What if … I fail, the people lose confidence, our enemies get together … ?)
   8. But what about right now?
3. Receive strength and courage from God now. (vv 6-9)
   1. God commands strength and courage three times
   2. How do we receive strength and courage?
   3. You make up your mind you’re going to obey God.
   4. “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave to you.” (v 7)
   5. Obedience in the present prepares you for a great change in the future
   6. Joshua, as one of the 12 spies, obeyed God by being positive about the promised land. Because Joshua obeyed God, he lived to change the future.
   7. You receive strength and courage from His Word.
   8. The Word is to be in our mouth. (v 8 )
   9. The Word is to be in our mind. (v 8 b)
   10. You receive strength and courage now by believing that God wants the best for you.
   11. “that you may be successful wherever you go.” (v 7 b)
   12. “then you will be prosperous and successful.” (v 8 b)

CONCLUSION:

There is a promised land. There is a desert. You can be a believer in both.
Thrive? Or just survive?

My heart: to let Christi change me from the inside out … to lead us into lives of:

1. being true disciples
2. making true disciples of others

What is the one thing God is saying to change?

Text: Hebrews 13:20, 21

INTRODUCTION:

• It was the summer 1984, I was sitting in the office of a guidance counselor at the University of Massachusetts and we were figuring out my fall classes.
• The guidance counselor asked me my major and one word came out of my mouth: UNDECIDED. (In other words I don’t know)
• One of the most painful questions you can ask a teenager is, “What do you plan to do with your life?” (emotions of excitement, fear, overwhelmed come to their heart as they say, I don’t know)
• Today we are going to motivate, encourage, and exhort you to seek with all of your heart God’s perfect will for your life. Why did God created you?

AWESOME TRUTH: Every person is created first in the heart of God to do great works for God and then is formed in the womb by God to carry out these great works!

• Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed the in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee…”
• KNEW = expression of intimate knowledge, husband knows his wife.
• God chose (his heart) the great works that you would do, and then He designed you in the womb with exactly the right characteristics & capabilities to achieve those great works.
• Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

HOW DO I DISCOVER WHAT GOD CREATED ME TO DO?

What is God’s will for my life!?

1. God’s specific will is discovered INSIDE His revealed will
   1. The Word of God is Jesus Christ’s revealed will for everybody ever born!
   2. Jesus said, “It is written, Man shall not lie by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4)
   3. The Bible is filled with God’s principles, thoughts, ideas, truths, blessings, rewards, warnings and ways!
   4. Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
   5. Romans 13: 1, 2 – “The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authorities is rebelling against God.”
   6. 2 Timothy 3:12 – “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
   7. Ephesian 6:2, 3 – “Honor your father and mother-which is the first commandment with a promise- that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
   8. 1 Peter 3:7 – Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
   9. In seeking God’s will for your life, the place everyone begins is inside His revealed will, are there ideas in your mind & choices in your life that are not in harmony with God’s revealed will? If so you will never really discover God’s specific, perfect will for your life!
2. Our minds must be transformed
   1. Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
   2. God’s plan for you will not be discovered from the pattern of this world.
   3. 2 Corinthians 10: 4, 5 – “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
   4. If you do not transform your thinking you will not be able to discover God’s perfect purpose for your life.
   5. Transformation comes when information changes behavior and the one changed can explain what has happened to them.
   6. Too many “saved” people still live their lives according the pattern the world has taught them.
   7. Personal testimony: Here is what has & is happening in my life because of transformed and renewed thinking (one income family, debt free living, homeschooling, more than 1.8 children by God’s grace,)
3. Go Beyond Commitment
   1. Read Matthew 19:16-22
   2. Jesus asked in V.21, “If you want to be perfect…sell…give. Then come follow me.” (the rich young ruler went away sad)
   3. He was willing to make commitments and follow rules, but he was unwilling to make a total unconditional surrender of his life and all he had to Jesus.
   4. Commitments are based on our control & our conditions. Total, unconditional surrender is based on God’s control.
   5. We often make commitments to the Lord but can not sustain them because we have not yet totally surrendered our life to the Lord.
   6. Jesus didn’t say the Rich Young Ruler would be starving and poor, but the rich young ruler would not be in control, he would have to rely on the Lord.
   7. It is only through total surrender that we will discover God’s perfect plan for our lives!
4. Past the Holy Spirit Tests
   1. The Holy Spirit will test you and on the other side of the test is where you will find God’s perfect plan for your life.
   2. Luke 5:4-10 Read it
   3. Jesus asked Peter to go fishing, Peter had been fishing all night and caught nothing and they never fish in the day because you will catch nothing.
   4. V. 5 – “Because you say so I will let down the nets.” (the test)
   5. V. 8 & 9 – Peter saw himself from a new perspective and his relationship with Jesus from a different perspective and in V. 10 he received his life purpose call from Jesus.
   6. It didn’t make natural sense for Peter to go fishing, but he did it only because Jesus told him to (obeyed revealed will, transformed thinking, total surrender, past the test)

CLOSE:

1. Every person is created first in the heart of God to do great works for God and then is formed in the womb by God to carry out these great works!
2. Someone once said that God’s perfect will for my life is exactly what I would want to do if I had all the facts from God.
3. Maybe you are resisting His revealed will, or you are making life decisions based on the pattern of this world, or you are committed but scared to surrender, or you just can’t see that certain things in your life are not the devil but the tests of the Holy Spirit.
4. Altar Call: Feel you are not living in God’s perfect plan and you want to surrender yourself to Jesus come now!

Text: Ephesians 5:25-33
Theme: Love your wife as Christ loves the church … you.

INTRODUCTION:

1. I didn’t really notice it until looking back and considering.
   1. My mother gave so much of herself.
   2. Sometimes she got tired and discouraged.
2. What can we do to help and bless these women?
   1. I want to proceed along the husband/wife relationship.
   2. Some of you are unmarried, single parents, divorced or separated by death.
3. The Bible gives us God’s wisdom concerning relationships.
   1. Paul addresses family relationships and starts with the most important (husband and wife).
   2. In Ephesians, Paul addresses husbands twice as much as the wife.

Text: Ephesians 5:25-33
The repeated pronouncement of Paul to the husbands is “love your wife.
How do we do this? We’re so different.
Theme: Love your wife as Christ loves the church … you.

HOW DOES CHRIST TREAT US THE CHURCH AND APPLY THIS TO OUR RELATIONSHIP.

1. Jesus gives Himself to us.

a. “God built a bridge with two board and a nail.” –a sign

b. “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (v25)

c. *If you have to insist on your own way, you’re not ready for marriage.

d. Jesus gives of Himself for the building up of His church.

e. Agape love does what helps the other.

f. He provides for us in every way without spoiling us.

2. Jesus listens to us.

a. He ever lives to make intercession for us.

b. He hears our prayers and invites us into deeper fellowship.

c. As husbands we need to work at listening.

d. Sometimes, I am preoccupied, but when I listen I benefit from her prospective.

e. Survey of the five major needs of women:

f. Affection

g. Conversation

h. Honesty/Openness

i. Financial Support

j. Family Commitment

k. * This can be difficult because of differences in verbal abilities/

3. Jesus forgives us.

a. “We all stumble in many ways.” James 3:2

b. It is easy to focus on, “how she needs to change.”

c. Conflict management, resolution, and transformation are huge issues in a marriage.

d. Jesus overlooks and forgives.

e. Our faults in the light of God are so much greater than our wife’s faults in comparison.

f. A good marriage is made up of two good forgivers.

4. Jesus remains faithful to us.

a. He will always be faithful.

b. “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

c. Faithfulness to our wife reveals our heart to God.

d. We want to be faithful, not just to the vow, but to the person.

e. *Faithfulness to God is not just to the Word, but to Himself.

f. We don’t even talk about divorce.

CONCLUSION:

1. God has mirrors, not for Himself but for us.
   1. People can’t see God directly, but we are to reflect Him.
   2. Our marriage can reflect the glory of God. Don’t distort His image by breaking it up.