August/30/ 2020 Filed in:
We Are Lifegate 2020We Go ALL IN
Genesis 12:1-3 "God had told Abram, “Leave your own country behind you, and your own people, and go to the land I will guide you to. 2 If you do, I will cause you to become the father of a great nation; I will bless you and make your name famous, and you will be a blessing to many others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and the entire world will be blessed because of you.”
Romans 12:1-8 NCV “So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship. 2 Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.
4 things about going All In:
1. All in means REMEMBERING something
Romans 12:1 “since God has shown us great mercy”
Luke 7:47 she has been forgiven much so she has loved much
2. All in means COMMITTING to something
Romans 12:2 “Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking.”
3. All in means SERVING somewhere
Romans 12:4-8 “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
4. All in means GIVING everything.
Romans 12:1 “So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him.”
August/16/ 2020 Filed in:
We Are Lifegate 2020Discipleship Moments
What is discipleship?
Greek meaning- to learn
Definition- “The process of training people incrementally in some discipline or way of life.”
Principles of Discipleship
1. Deny Yourself
Matthew 16:24 ESV “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Luke 14:25-33 ESV “25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”
2. Devotion
John 8:31-32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 10:3-5 ESV “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
3. Discipline
Live off of experience not exposure.
Live off of first hand revelation not second.
Energy management, knowing what drains you or sustains you.
Matthew 11:28-30 ESV “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Accountability- accounting for someone’s ability not covering for someone’s disabilities
Proverbs 27:17 ESV “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
James 5:16 ESV “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
August/16/ 2020 Filed in:
We Are Lifegate 2020We Do Life Together
Luke 10:38-42 NIV As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Here are some things we are going to have to recognize and remember in order to do life together:
#1 - We need to recognize the difference between WANT vs. NEED
Luke 10:40 NIV But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
#2 - We need to recognize the difference between FRUSTRATION vs. EXPECTATION
Luke 10:40 NIV But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
Luke 10:39 NIV She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
#3 - We need to recognize the difference between SELF-FOCUS vs. SACRIFICE
Luke 10:38 NIV As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
#4 - We need to recognize the difference between SUSPICION vs. TRUST
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Luke 6:31 NIV Do to others as you would have them do to you.
August/06/ 2020 Filed in:
We Are Lifegate 2020WE ARE LIFEGATE
Part 1
The Power of Moments
1. God meets people in moments.
2. Only God can change lives but we can work to create life changing moments.
Exodus 25:8 NIV “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.”
Luke 3:4-6 NIV “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’”
3. When several moments come together they become momentum.
Creating moments
Changing lives!
We are going to create…
1. Prayer Moments
2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
2. Care Moments
3. Shared Moments
August/02/ 2020
The Power of Prayer
Romans 8:28 “all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purposes.”
Three foundational ideas about prayer:
1. Prayer is more about God doing something IN YOU than God doing something FOR YOU.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.’
2. Prayer REMINDS US that we are not in control and KEEPS US close to the One who is.
James 4:8 NASB “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”
3. Prayer isn’t only about ASKING it’s also about TRUSTING.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and He will make your paths straight”
James 5:13-18 NIV “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
If we are going to have an effective prayer life we must…
1. Pray with FAITH
James 5:13-15 NIV “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
Matthew 21:21-22 NLT “Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. 22 You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”
Matthew 17:20 “I tell you the truth, if your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. All things will be possible for you.”
2. Pray with FOCUS
James 5:13-15 NLT “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”
James 4:2 NIV “you do not have because you do not ask…”
When you pray specific prayers you get specific answers and God gets the glory.
3. Pray with FEELING
James 5:16b NKJV “…the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
James 5:17 NLT “Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
Prayers that TOUCH OUR HEARTS are prayers that TOUCH GOD’S HEART.
4. Pray with FREQUENCY
James 5:16 MSG “make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.”
James 5:17-18 NLT “ Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
5. Pray with FRIENDS
Matthew 18:19-20 NIV “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
When we agree together in prayer 2 things happen:
a. Jesus has promised he will be there
b. God will answer
James 5:16 NLT “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people…”
