Sunday Circles - Love

Sunday Circles

        Building Your Family With Friends

Church On The Rock

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Prayer

Hymn: Down at the Cross

Memory Verse: Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Lesson: Love

Pastor remarks and intro of first principle

First Principle: Love has a Purpose

Scripture Reference: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God had a well-stated purpose for sending His Son.

We are the Focus of His Love.

God is looking for a Majority, not a Minority.

Question: Who is Love? (1 John 4:8)

Follow up Question: What is Love’s focus in this verse? The World.

Conclusion: God is Love.  The focus of His love was wholly established on humanity.  This shows us that we are the object of His Love seen in the act of Jesus.

Pastor remarks and intro of second principle

Second Principle: Love has a Price

Scripture Reference: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Once we understand that God is love and that love has a focus, we then come to the conclusion that there’s a price to pay for the object of His Love.

God expressed His love by paying the full price.  Jesus is that price.

Question: Find the part of John 3:16 that shows the price God paid for the object of His Love.

Follow Up Question: How does this make you feel knowing what God paid for you?

Conclusion: Consider the parable of the Jewel found in the field. In this parable the man sells everything to buy the field just for the chance at the treasure. This shows us that God paid for a chance at our heart (Matthew 13:44).  God bought the whole world with the blood of Jesus for a chance at your heart.

Pastor remarks and intro of third principle

Third Principle: Love has a Response and Responsibility

Scripture Reference: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

We have an obligation to respond to the message of God’s Love.

We have a responsibility to others to share God’s message.

Question: What is the proper response to God’s focus and price?

Follow Up Question: What is our responsibility to others?     

Conclusion: God is Love and because of that He loved us enough to pay the price for us to have eternal life in Him.  This is the Gospel.  We only need to respond to it for ourselves, and be responsible by sharing it freely with others.

Pastor closing remarks

●    Connect Cards; Offering and Prayer

●    Memory Verse

●    Pre-Praise & Worship Prayer will be in the Sanctuary Studio. Worship will begin in just a few minutes.

Sunday Circles - The Church

Sunday Circles

        Building Your Family With Friends

Church On The Rock

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Prayer

Hymn: Amazing Grace

Memory Verse: Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

Lesson: The Church

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of first principle

First Principle: The Church is the Body of Christ.

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 1:22-23 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Jesus had a well stated purpose for His life’s work.

He said He was going to build His Church (Matthew 19:18).

The word “Church” means a called out and called together group of people.

The scriptures clearly say that Jesus:   

·        Died for the Church

·        And is coming again for the Church

Question: What are some things you think about when you think about Church?

Follow up Question: How is the Church like a body for Christ?  

Conclusion: The Church is a many-membered body of Christ. No one member constitutes the body and only when joined together can the Body of Christ function as designed by God. Together we are the Church and as such, we are the body of Christ.  

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of second principle

Second Principle: The Church is the Bride of Christ.   

Scripture Reference: Revelation 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

The relationship between Jesus and the Church is designed to be the perfect example of a man and his wife, Jesus is the husband and the Church is the wife.

The Church is meant to function like the bride of Christ.

Question: What are some things a new bride looks forward to in the marriage?

Follow Up Question: What are some things a bridegroom can expect from a bride?   

Conclusion: The Church is promised to Jesus as His covenant bride. Those who have been born again have become members of the Church and betrothed to the Son of God to be His Bride. The Church must always be prepared for the coming of our Lord and the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is a great mystery concerning Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5).

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of third principle

Third Principle: The Church is the Family of God in the Earth.

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 2:19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

When God has finished His whole work in the earth, the only thing He will have left to show for His work is family.

God is working for His family.

The Church is family.

Question: What are some similarities that the Bible draws between the Church and a family?

Follow Up Question: What makes a family dysfunctional?    

Conclusion: The Bible continually refers to us as sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, and children of the Lord. An interesting note: God has no grandchildren … only children. Everyone is born again into the family of God as a child, and therefore becomes a member of the body, the bride, and the family of God, which is the Church, the called out and called together group of people in eternal relationship with almighty God. When we become one with Christ, we become an heir of God because we are a joint heir with Jesus. Everything God has is legally ours because of the relationship we have with Him.

Pastor Ron’s closing remarks

·        Connect Cards; Offering and Prayer

·        Memory Verse

·        Pre-Praise & Worship Prayer will be in the Sanctuary Studio. Worship will begin in just a few minutes.

Sunday Circles - The Progression of Sin

Sunday Circles

        Building Your Family With Friends

Church On The Rock

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Prayer

Hymn: Amazing Grace

Memory Verse: Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

Lesson: The Progression of Sin

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of first principle

First Principle: The Error of Balaam

Scripture Reference: Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

An error can be a simple mistake or a blatant sin that leads us astray from the will of God.

Question: Have you ever made a mistake and later realized it was wrong?

Follow up Question: What should we do when we realize we have sinned?

Conclusion: Everyone makes mistakes and people often fall into sin. When we sin, we can recover ourselves quickly by confessing our sins to God and forsaking the error of our ways. However, if sin is left to run its course, it will become a way of life.   

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of second principle

Second Principle: The Way of Balaam   

Scripture Reference: 2 Peter 2:15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.

An error left unchecked can become a way of life.

Mistakes can become habits.

Question: Discuss the process whereby an error can become a way. 

Follow Up Question: What can we do to ensure our sin does not become a habit?

Conclusion: Sin, left to itself, does not get better but rather grows worse. When sin becomes a way of life, people begin to defend its right to exist in order to justify their way. Unrepentant sin will begin to govern and attempt to control thoughts, words, and actions of the individual. If not properly dealt with, a sin which has become a way will grow to be embraced as a doctrine of life.  

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of third principle

Third Principle: The Doctrine of Balaam

Scripture Reference: Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

Our doctrine is what we teach others to do either verbally or by our example.

Question: By what measure should we examine our doctrines?

Follow Up Question: What should we do if we find ourselves in the progression of sin?    

Conclusion: Unchecked, unchallenged, and unchanged Balaam ended up teaching the enemies of Israel how to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel. What we tolerate today will become the norm tomorrow and ultimately be taught in generations to come.

Pastor Ron’s closing remarks

·        Connect Cards; Offering and Prayer

·        Memory Verse

·        Pre-Praise & Worship Prayer will be in the Sanctuary Studio. Worship will begin in just a few minutes.

A Defining Moment

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Last week at the International Apostolic Summit in Honolulu, Dr Emmanuel Cannistraci, a renowned minister and powerful man of God, now 82 years old, opened the summit with a clear conviction given him by the Holy Spirit. He began with this statement:

“We live in a defining moment; change is constant and we are at a tipping point of the will and purpose of God. Know for certain that God is sovereign and God is in control.”

Dr Cannistraci continued this discourse by revealing:

8 Challenges We Face In The Church Today

He took us to the Book of Joshua, where I will ask you to turn with me now, and using this Biblical account, Dr Cannistraci gave us 8 Requirements for experiencing victory in this defining moment.

Joshua 1

1 ¶  After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:

2  "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel.

3  "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.

What will it require to face this defining moment with victory?

1.  A Trans-Generational Leadership in cooperation with one another.

Joshua 1:5  No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

2.  A New Level of Courage

Joshua 1:9  "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

a.   We cannot afford to stop getting on airplanes and going on missions trips

b.   We cannot allow the legal mandates of the antichrist and his governmental restrictions to become our boundaries

c.   We must have faith in our marching orders so as to muster the faith and courage to stand our ground and go forward for the banner of the cross.

3.  Possess the land God has given us

Joshua 1:11  Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

4.  Meet the Challenge of This New Day With a New Baptism

Joshua 3: 13  "And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap."

a.   1 Corinthians 10:1 tells of the first baptism for the children of Israel, it was a baptism in the red sea. Now, this fresh covering and fresh fire comes to them for this new season they are entering.

b.   We need a fresh filling for every new season of life and ministry.

c.   We need fresh strength and fresh anointing and a fresh Word for every mountain and each moment of God in our lives.

5.  A Renewed Covenant

Joshua 5

2  At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time."

9  Then the LORD said to Joshua, "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." Therefore the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day.

8  So it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed.

a.   God wants to roll away the reproach of unbelief

b.   God wants to roll away the slavery mentality

c.   God wants to roll away the wandering in the wilderness experience

d.   God wants a freshly renewed covenant

6.  We Must Come to a New Level of Stewardship

Joshua 5:12  Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year.

a.   No longer living on a handout from God and on barely get by street as a ward in the wilderness … rather … we must become partners with God

b.   God wants to raise responsible children and set them in their land and bless the work of their hands against all odds.

c.   People for whom everything is done are called babies …

7.  A Fresh Revelation of the Majesty and the Might of Jesus

Joshua 5

13  And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?"

14  So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"

15  Then the Commander of the LORD’S army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.

a.   This was Joshua’s burning bush experience

b.   Somewhere in life we must recognize we are standing on Holy Ground.

c.   Lest we get too big for our britches we must also realize that God has His own agenda and His plan is more important than ours.

8.  Come to a New Level of Spiritual Warfare

Joshua 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

There is a new update ready for download from heaven …

This morning when I first woke up for the second time, the Spirit of the Lord gave me a brief vision while clearly speaking these words:

   “Stop looking at things that are broken. Look at things that are working. I have given you things that work. If things are broken, I will give you new things …”

Sometimes things don’t work because they simply won’t work for anyone but you.

Let’s rise to meet the new challenges of this defining moment for the Kingdom of God and planet earth. 

Sunday Circles - Friendships

Sunday Circles

        Building Your Family With Friends

Church On The Rock

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Prayer

Hymn: Amazing Grace

Memory Verse: Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.

Lesson: Friendships

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of first principle

First Principle: Always offer personal encouragement.

Scripture Reference: Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Encouragement and discouragement both release power.

One releases the power for a person to move forward.

The other releases power to make a person move backwards.

Question: Discuss the importance of thinking before talking.

Follow up Question: Discuss how the same truth can be shared in both a negative and a positive way.

Conclusion: Think before you talk. The same truth can be shared in a positive and encouraging way or in a negative and discouraging way. For example, when talking to a lost person, we can say either, “you are going to hell if you don’t change,” or “you can go to heaven if you will change.” Both of these are the same truth. One is bad news. One is good news. One encourages. The other discourages.

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of second principle

Second Principle: Always give Godly counsel.

                                *If asked

                                *If in a position of authority

                                *Only from the Word 

Scripture Reference: Psalms 119:105 Thy word is lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path.

Question: What is the difference between a lamp and a light?

Follow Up Question: What are some reasons we should stick to the Word of God when counseling others?  

Conclusion: The Bible provides a solid foundation upon which we can stand when all the world around us is unstable. God will give us scriptures which will provide a lamp to show us our next step and a light which shines farther down the road so that we can maintain some sense of direction, purpose, and security. Only God knows the end from the beginning and, therefore, it is vital that we represent His will to others with our counsel. Godly counsel should be given when solicited or when we stand in a position of authority which demands we speak.

Pastor Ron’s remarks and intro of third principle

Third Principle: Always keep your opinions to yourself.

Scripture Reference: 1 Timothy 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Unless you are talking to someone who is a part of the problem or to someone who is a part of the answer, it is only gossip.

Everyone has an opinion and most people love to share and champion their own opinion.

Only God’s opinion matters.

God forbid someone actually take your advice when it runs contrary to God’s will.

Our opinions, even when they come from a well meaning heart, are often destructive to God’s overall plan.

It’s best to keep your opinion to yourself, especially when unsolicited.

Question: What is the difference between opinion and counsel?

Follow Up Question: What should we do when someone begins to feed us gossip and opinion about others?   

Conclusion: God’s word is never confused, uninformed, or emotionally driven. However, our opinions often are. Discussing other people’s problems with those who are neither a part of the problem nor a part of the cure delivers destructive potential to already troubled situations of life. It is best to pray for others and share your opinions only with God so that He and His Word can clear our thoughts.

Pastor Ron’s closing remarks

·        Connect Cards; Offering and Prayer

·        Memory Verse

·        Pre-Praise & Worship Prayer will be in the Sanctuary Studio. Worship will begin in just a few minutes.

The Last Time

        Moving Beyond our Failures

                Breaking the Foolish Cycles of Life

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Key Scripture: Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.

Matthew 3 NKJV

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Mark 6:12 So they (the disciples) went out and preached that people should repent.

John the Baptist preached repentance; Jesus preached repentance; and

Jesus sent His disciples to preach repentance …

We can easily conclude from these, and from the more than 100 verses in the Bible which directly mention repentance, that repentance is a timeless foundational doctrine of the Gospel of Christ. Before the Law came through Moses people did not always know what God wanted them to do.

Acts 17:30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.”

Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

What is repentance? A turnaround … In the sense of the scriptures, to repent means to turn from your ways and turn from the ways of this world and to turn from your sin and turn towards God. It means to change!

Nothing changes unless something changes.

This morning we will use King David as our example of how to repent and recover from sin and move beyond our failures. The passage in Psalms 51 will show us how to break those foolish cycles of life.

How did David break free? He repented! What did that look like?

First David acknowledged his sin before God

·        Psalms 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.

·        Turn to God with your sin

·        Not only did David turn to God and acknowledge his sin but …

Next David confessed his sin

·        Psalms 51:4  Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight …

·        A confession is an offering of our sins to God

·        David said, “forgive me”, not “excuse me” …

·        1 John 1:9 encourages us to confess our sin

Then David forsook his sin

·        Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

·        We must not only offer our sins to God but also offer ourselves as well.

·        God not only forgives but He will also cleanse our hearts and minds.

·        Proverbs 28:13 says confess and forsake and mercy will follow

Finally David shared his victory over sin as a testimony to help others

·        Psalms 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.

·        It is important that our tests become testimonies and that we be willing to help others along the way.

·        The sharing of our testimony keeps us mindful of the grace, mercy, and forgiveness of God. This helps us stay strong so as not to easily or mindlessly repeat that sin.

·        If we continue to repeat our folly we will be no different than a dog who returns to his own vomit.

Psalms 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart — These, O God, You will not despise.

David made certain that the last time was the last time.

This time is not the last time. The last time was the last time, this time is the next time after the last time and if you imagine you can do it just one more time and this time will be the last time, there will never be a last time and you can rest assured there will always be a next time.

If the last time was not the last time there will never be a last time.

If just one more time is going to be the last time then there will always be a next time. Just one more time is not going to fix it. Repent today!

Romans 6:11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What can we do to help others break free from those same foolish cycles?

2 Timothy 2

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.  

·        Become an encouragement to others with a meek and humble spirit.

·        One of the first signposts on the road to defeat reads, “It cannot happen to me.” – Be humble, be truthful, and be willing to change.

Let the last time be the last time ~ 1 Peter 4:3ff We have spent enough of our past life doing the things we should not do … it’s time to get serious!