June/14/ 2020
Stronger Families
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV “But those who wait on the Lord, shall RENEW THEIR STRENGTH.”
Acts 16:25-34 NIV “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”
Acts 16:34b “…he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”
How do I get back on track?
1. Recognize
Acts 16:26-27 NIV “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up…”
2. Repent
Acts 16:29-30 NIV “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:30-31 NIV “He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
You can teach what you know but you will reproduce who you are.
3. Rearrange
Acts 16:33-34 NIV “At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”
4. Recommit
Acts 16:34 NIV “The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.”
Joshua 24:15b NIV “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
May/31/ 2020
Stronger Relationally
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV “But those who wait on the Lord, shall RENEW THEIR STRENGTH.”
Romans 12:3-9 NIV “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 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. 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Three things that weaken our relationships:
1. Insecurity
Romans 12:3 NIV “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”
2. Independence
Romans 12:5 NIV “so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
3. Insincerity
Romans 12:9 NIV “Love must be sincere”
1 John 3:18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Romans 12:9-21 NIV “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Five ways to strengthen our relationships:
1. More time
Romans 12:10 NIV “be devoted to one another in love”
NCV “ Love each other like brothers and sisters.”
2. More prayer
Romans 12:12 NIV “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
3. More help
Romans 12:13 NIV “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Luke 3:11 NIV “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
Galatians 6:10 NCV “When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers.”
4. More acceptance
Romans 12:16b NIV “Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”
5. More grace
Romans 12:16 NIV “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18 TPT “Do your best to live as everybody’s friend.”
May/19/ 2020
STRONGER
Part 1
Spiritually Stronger
Isaiah 40:28-31 NKJV
“Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
Five ways that God renews our strength:
1. Strength comes when we take time to REPENT
Judges 16:28 NIV “Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.”
2. Strength comes when we take time to REFUEL
I Kings 19:8 NIV “So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.”
3. Strength comes when we take time to RECONNECT
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.”
4. Strength comes when we take time to RECOMMIT
Nehemiah 6:3 ESV “I’m doing a great work and I cannot come down”
Nehemiah 6:9 NIV “They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now STRENGTHEN my hands.”
5. Strength comes when we take time to RELEASE
2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
