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Zero Tolerance Thinking

SERIES: BEWARE OF THE LITTLE THINGS There is no question that sexual immorality is rampant in society. Its every where on TV, in music, and in real life. God understands the destructive power of sex when it occurs outside of the commitment of a loving marriage between a husband and wife. The reason for God’s laws is ultimately our good. God loves us and wants us to experience abundant life – not keep us from “the good stuff.” Interestingly, secular researchers are beginning to discover that sex outside of marriage carries with it a large amount of destructive effects, beyond unwanted pregnancy, STDS, and broken marriages. It also results in a whole host of psychological and emotional problems, including increased rates of depression and suicide attempts. God knows that the outward act will never become an issue, if inwardly we keep ourselves pure. That is why He shockingly states that in God’s sight, the thought is just as serious as the act of adultery. We are continuing our series based on Song of Sol 2:15: “it is the little foxes that ruin the vineyards.” Our thoughts are seemingly little things that we often overlook, but obviously Jesus takes it very seriously. In fact, he tells us that it places us in danger of being thrown into hell (Matt 5:29-30), and that we should be willing to take drastic measures to protect our thought lives. So today we want to consider Jesus strong warning to take a zero tolerance approach toward lustful thinking.

Little Foxes

SERIES: BEWARE OF THE LITTLE THINGS 7/7/13 This one little verse conveys a great truth that is vitally important for our lives. It warns us of the subtle danger of so-called “little sins” that undermine a believer’s love and service for the Lord. So often it is not major things that cause a Christian to fall, that destroy marriages, that break relationships, that ruin a person’s testimony. It is the little things. It is the little things, if they go unchecked that gives the adversary just enough room to come in an destroy the vines. As we go through this series we will focus on identifying and dealing with some of these “small foxes”, but in this introductory message, let’s focus on Solomon’s warning and what it means for us today.

The Danger of Wordly Desire

Series: BEWARE OF THE LITTLE THINGS Lot's story is one of the saddest stories in the Bible. Lot made an unwise decision, perhaps he thought it was a little decision, but it cost him everything that was important to him. He didn’t think it was a big deal, but it was disastrous for he and his family. As we consider Lot’s choice, we will see that it was motivated by worldly desire, one of the little foxes that enter our heart and if allowed to remain, will bring our down fall.

Wrestling for a Blessing

Series: The Making of  a Man 6/30/13 Jacob did things his way for most of his life, but he eventually came to the point where he realized he has taken the wrong road to manhood. He has material blessings, but he doesn’t feel blessed – He doesn’t like the person he has become. He has been fighting all of his life, and it has separated him from the people he loves the most. This is a crisis point in his life. Something has to change. He cannot continue this way any longer. He is returning home. He is lonely.  He is afraid of his brother Esau, and for the first time in the biblical record, he initiates prayer. He comes to God, he needs the Father to teach him how to be the man that he wants him to be. He has no control over this situation, and his old tactics will not work. This passage tells us that God is drawn to men who are at a crossroads. God appears on the scene, and Jacob is forever changed.

Raised to Life

Series: The Making of a Man 6/24/13 THE MAKING OF A MAN: RAISED TO LIFE Jesus goes to the city of Bethany, to the grave of a dead man, and when he raises Lazarus back to life it impacts that city. Many people came to believe in him (Jn 11:45). That is what he wants to do in our city, and this entire region today. Now notice, He came because of the women. Mary and Martha called for Him. He came because of the women, but he is on the way to a man. There’s a lot of praying women in churches, and Jesus will come because of the women, and He wants to impart life to the men. There is a pattern in this passage for the resurrection of manhood - a resurrection to a new level of manhood, a new level of spiritual life, a new level of influence, a new level of destiny in this city. This is the future that could be, and should be, and will be if we can get some men who will let God bring them back to life and set them on fire again.

Feel Like a Man

Series: The Making of a Man 6/16/13 God created men and women in His image, and God feels. The Bible tells that God experiences a full range of emotional experience, including grief, joy, compassion and anger (Gen. 6:6, 19:6, Isa 62:5). Emotions are God’s gift to us to help us experience life more meaningfully. The problem is that most men live their lives suppressing their emotions, and the root cause can be traced all they way back to Eden. God originally created men and women to be naked and unashamed (Gen 2:25), which speaks of more than just being physically unclothed. When you’re naked you’re open for discovery and everything about you is exposed.  It speaks of openness, honesty, and vulnerability. But after Adam and Eve sinned, Gen. 3:7 says, “Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves.” They became closed, covered, protective because they were ashamed. The emotion of shamed is negative, destructive and unhealthy for men and for women...so ladies don’t tune out, this message applies to you to.

Wounded Warriors

Series: The Making of  Man 6/2/2013 One Christian leader states that the greatest opportunity and challenge facing the church in the 21st Century is the development of godly husbands and fathers–godly men. Counselor Alexander Mitserlisch asserts “society has torn the soul of the male, and into this tear the demons have fled – the demons of insecurity, selfishness, and despair.  Consequently, men do not know who they are as men.” One of the greatest contributing factors to this tear in the male soul, is wounds that they have incurred in their own relationship with their father. Today, I want us to consider the common wounds of the male soul in our culture, because these pains must be addressed in order for men to re-engage the battle to become the men of God they have been called to be.

Comforter

Series: Spirit Works 5/5/13 As Jesus  was preparing His disciples for His immanent departure, He promised that He would not abandon them, but that He would pray to the Father, and that the Father would send them another Comforter. The word “comforter,” in Greek, means one called alongside to help, and the word “another” means another of the same kind. The father would send them the Comforter, who would be just like Jesus. This message will help us to understand the work of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit,  in our life as our Helper, our Counselor, and our Advocate.

Guide

Series: Spirit Works 4/28/13 Have ever felt like you didn’t know where you were going in life? Were ever unsure about what choices to make? If you sometimes make decisions that you afterwards regret, the good news is that we have been given our own personal guide to lead us through life.

Teacher

Series: Spirit Works 4/20/13 The teaching ministry of the Spirit, is one of His most vital roles in our lives. His teaching ministry includes inspiration, illumination, and instruction.