Gospel Life Church

A parent has 936 weeks between a child’s birth and graduation. This is why its hard for the church to compete with what’s going on at home. Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like and they don’t learn from people who don’t like them. What does this teach us? That influencing children positively starts with love.

Ezekiel 13:22 NLT And you have encouraged the wicked by promising them life, even though they continue in their sins. We need to be able to speak the truth without compromise, while respecting others as persons. When we speak of tolerance, there are really 3 categories of tolerance that are usually mixed together: Tolerance of persons Tolerance of ideas Tolerance of behavior If one rejects another's ideas or behavior, he's often accused of rejecting the person and being disrespectful. To say I'm intolerant of the person because I disagree with his ideas is confused. On this view of tolerance, no idea or behavior can be opposed, regardless of how graciously, without inviting the charge of intolerance. “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” “What do you mean by that?” “How did you come to that conclusion?,”

1 Be Ready 2 Keep It Simple, Keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing Armageddon, the Rapture, Calvinism, Arminianism, church attendance, blood moons, red heifers, numerology, and Anakim giants but… 3 Avoid Religious Language, Spiritual Jargon, and Christianese What is Jargon and what effect does it have? Christianese means you are speaking a different language than the one the person you are speaking to speaks. EXAMPLES: Things like, “I see that hand,” “ask Jesus into your heart,” “soul-winning,” “backslidden,” “heads bowed, eyes closed,” (you know what to do), “we just come before you Father God,” “hedge of protection,” “pot-lucks but not good luck,” “prayer walks,” “amen,” “vacation Bible school,” “bachelor till the rapture,” “divine appointment,” “life verse,” “missionary dating,” “gift of singleness,” “unspoken prayer request,” “bless your heart,” “speaks to my heart,” “I’ll pray about meaning ‘no’”, “covered in the blood,” “put it on my heart,” “stepping out on faith,” “testimony,” “I struggle with that,

1 John 3:14 NLT 14 If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Zephaniah 3:17 NLT 17 For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

Matthew 27:16-17 NIV 16 At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. 17 So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

1. Fear. The fear of being ridiculed, disapproved and persecuted by the world, especially those close to us and those who have authority over us like parents, spouses and bosses. We have bought into this Politically Correct mentality. Live and let live. Don't offend anyone. Fear that sharing your faith will end the relationship. Fear of rejection, we have to remember that they are not rejecting us but Christ. Fear of man rather than fear of God. 2. They don't feel or think that they are qualified. We have secret sins. 3. Complacency, lack of compassion and passion, spiritual laziness Luke 8:14 NLT 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. We want everything from God, but we do not want to give anything. We focus only on what Jesus can do for us, and not what we can do for Jesus. 4. Too many worry about "political correctness". We mus

Genesis 50:20 NLT 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Exodus 3:19 NLT 19 "But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. Piel Exodus 4:21 NLT 21 And the LORD told Moses, "When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go. Exodus 7:3 NLT 3 But I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Exodus 8:15 NLT But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted. Exodus 8:32 NLT 32 But Pharaoh again became stubborn and refused to let the people go. Piel Exodus 9:12 NLT 12 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and just as the LORD had predicted to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen. Exodus 9:34-35 NLT But when Pharao

ANNOUNCEMENTS: LT meeting tomorrow at 7pm, Easter Egg Candy, Family Meal/Meeting next Sunday PROVIDENCE The doctrine that God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; (2) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do: and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes. The goal this morning is to help see things through the lens of God being in control of all things, to have spiritual eyes in your perspective, and to see things as God does. Paul says in Ephesians 1:11, “he makes everything work out according to his plan.” or, Ephesians 1:10 NET God accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will Colossians 1:17 NLT 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Hebrews 1:3 NLT The Son sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. This fact is hidden from us until we read it in S

Philippians 3:7-21 NLT 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Worship Night this Friday @ 7pm, Feb 24th. Easter Egg Candy- donations in mission box, coming up quickly Please purchase items similar to… Miniature candy bars  Starburst Hersey kisses Mini tootsie rolls Small wrapped mint or butterscotch candies. Small pieces of wrapped gum Please do NOT purchase Smarties, Suckers, Licorice. Large candy bars, or Un-wrapped candies LT Meeting after worship- Alpha, Worship Night Speakers PRAYER CAN CHANGE THE MIND OF GOD SO PRAY LIKE LIVES DEPEND ON IT Unchangeableness/IMMUTABILITY. God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, Yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations. We often hear talk about man’s free will but this morning I want to draw your attention to God’s free will. Genesis 6:5-6 NLT 5 The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. 6 So the LORD was sorry

Revelation 3:1-2 NLT "I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive-- but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. The 2 reasons the church at Sardis is said to be dead is because: Conformity to the culture around it Failure in their Gospel witness. Read Luke 6:20-49 Luke 6:27-28 NLT 27 "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. Luke 6:35-36 NLT 35 "Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. We just read: Luke 6:28 NLT 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.