Abounding

First Car My first car was a metallic gray 1986 for tempo wile all my friends had trucks and mustangs , monte Carlos, firebirds etc .

fell in the trap of comparison and in my head I wanted to have something that would be considered a chick magnet.

Pull out stereo : so I bought with the little money i had from working in an ice cream truck in the summers a a used clarion pull out stereo but because I couldn't afford an amp and some good speaker ( MTX terminators or bass cannons ) I found a pioneer wooden house speaker and I put it in the trunk) in my head as i was installing it i could see the speakers rattling and all the girls looking at me as i drove thought south beach in south Haven Michigan - winking and pointing.

discovered that something was wrong with my stereo and I needed to run an errand and it was about dusk and i turned my lights on suddenly my clarion pull out cassette player started working ( some of you are catching up that i crossed wires and put connected it to the headlights - I had crossed the wires

Gages I also didn't know that you have to keep an eye on all the gages ( you may understand at that age the only one that i cared about was the gas one ) there was the oil , water temp, rpms and gas

and also warning lights ( transmission , service engine, overheating

* So if the service engine came on I Found out that with a paper clip you can turn it off

Ignored all the warnings and I didn't pay attention to the gages that could of prevented me a bunch of problem.

Today we are going to look at some gages that we need to check as we continue to walk on this journey towards Christ

If we were to have a theme for today would be check your gages

so you don’t just get by but thrive and grow > God wants us to grow and not stop

Gages to keep you eye on !!!

1) In GRACE – 2 Cor. 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

MSG 8-11 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it,

He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.

Definition: Grace is Undeserved favor

flourish, Bloom, amplify, thrive, increase, filled to Multiply :to increase his people like a flock

a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance

Sanctification is the ongoing supernatural work of God to rescue justified sinners from the disease of sin and to conform them to the image of his Son: holy, Christlike, and empowered to do good works.

it takes time does not happen in a moment but is the ongoing work of God throughout the life of a believer.

* as God is sanctifying us the are of have grace on others

*Why should we show grace to others ? because grace was shown to.

Bible: When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. Luke 12:48

Grace is not about perfection. Practicing grace is a process of trial and error that calls for consistent application.

Tools for the road

Start with Learn to let go.

Start with yourself.

Practice gratitude.

Forgive.

Apologize

Practice empathy not sympathy

2) In LOVE – Phil. 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight

New Living Translation Study Bible Chapter 1

Love is a fruit of Christ’s Spirit within them

my prayer : there is a need for us to pray for others to grow in their Love for God

Why : because we as believers know that the closest to god and understand His love for us the more we understand the meaning of Life

When we love God we Love others

That is why the vision of the church is

Love God - Love People - Change the world

If we love God - we can love others

If you want to love your spouse more its not by buying things is by growing in your love for Christ

The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-31

here is the question :

What do I need to do to have eternal life ?

Why: to test Him to see if he could break the law and discredit Him ( they were afraid of loosing control) The devil will attack you to gain control of your mind one doubt at time.

but Jesus in His infinite wisdom answered with a question ?

New International Reader’s Version (1998) Chapter 10

26“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you understand it?”

one of the of leaders of the Law answered.

Luke 10:27 NIrV

He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength and with all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ ”

Quoting the old testament to try to catch Jesus in and quoting the Pentateuch the first 5 books of the bible.

New International Reader’s Version (1998) Chapter 10

“Do that, and you will live.

New International Reader’s Version (1998) Chapter 10

29But the man wanted to make himself look good. So he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

New International Reader’s Version (1998) Chapter 10

30Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Robbers attacked him. They stripped off his clothes and beat him. Then they went away, leaving him almost dead.

A priest : the elite the one who had head knowledge but their heart was far away

Levite : the ones that served on the temple bringing offerings to God it was their birth right

samaritan 33 But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was

the word But : usually erases everything that it has been said before.

but all of a sudden an unexpected twist in the story

New International Reader’s Version (1998) (Chapter 10)

Luke 10: 33But a Samaritan came to the place where the man was. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him. 34He went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey. He took him to an inn and took care of him

God will use the unexpected

Not the ones that is their Job

Or the ones that is the linage

but the ones that are willing to know him and surrender and serve the King of Kings .

And his love suddenly - shows up

3. In FRUIT

John 15:1–4 (NLT): Jesus, the True Vine

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

farming story : when I was about 13 years old we live in a small town in Michigan called eau claire and every winter around January was grape pruning time

the first time I went the my parents gave me some hand pruners an lopers I started cutting away and I heard my dad say slow down and walked me through the process

looks at the tree from the ground up what is the main palm for an offshoot and cut off the extra shoots only leave the real tree not the imitators

Cut all the extra growth and only leave 2 branches in the top cable and one for the bottom on each side of the tree ( my question was why don’t we leave more branches the more branches the more grapes they could yield ) no

the problem : if we leave more the tree could break , grape Clusters couldn’t hand down and give a quality fruit ,if you have too many branch’s yes you will have a lot of small grapes

3. and the last one was take those branches and take twist them on this cable and tie them with a bread tie ( example) to train the branch

personal thought - pruning produces fruit, yes it might add pain but it’s for our benefit

Main tree - so we don’t get distracted with imposters so we stay connected to the main root system

pruning down to a few branches yes it might hurt but it’s good for us / he is the gardener that is thinks of the future

farmer’s thinks of a field gardener care for individual plants - each plant is carefully picked and knows the individually and knows it’s flaws and tendencies

conclusion

little did you know that God has been caring for you but you are going through a process.

Little did you know He has been carefully working on your life because he cares for you

you are not one in the farm but he is a gardener that loves you you are the apple of His eye

How are your gages