Wk 36 Summertime Finale "if"

Generosity vs Obedience

i believe it’s not just one or the other, but what and how we respond to God’s Word.

obedience without humility or love can be an automated duty.

generosity without faith can breed pride and a showy response to doing good.

John 14:15 NLT

15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.

TOGETHER WE SEE GOD’S DIVINE PLAN FOR US—

Steps to lead us into humility and faith filled actions with Love!

🌻UPDATE💐

Night of Worship 6pm:

September Ministry

Come Back Sunday and Friend Day 9/21

End of Sommer Party at Creek Forrest Apartments

How could you love on 85+kids and parents and grandparents?

Pecan Fest Oct. 11 at Claude Cox.

No Wed MidWeek Circle

Porch Ministry 2.0 is PAUSED for the SUMMER. Re-Start in September!

👨🏽‍🏫 Current Series Finale:

“if you will”

INTRO:

My kids reoccuring phrase, “I have a question...” followed by an awkward pause.

3 Stories of “if’s” in the life of Jesus

THE LEPER— “if”

Matthew 8:1–3 NLT

1 Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside. 2 Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” 3 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.

LEADER OF THE SYNAGOGUE— “if”

Matthew 9:18 NLT

18 As Jesus was saying this, the leader of a synagogue came and knelt before him. “My daughter has just died,” he said, “but you can bring her back to life again if you just come and lay your hand on her.”

THE WOMAN BLEEDING FOR 12 YEARS— “if”

Mark 5:25–34 NLT

25 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. 26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. 28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. 30 Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my robe?” 31 His disciples said to him, “Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But he kept on looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

“I WILL”

THE LOST SON— “I Will”

Luke 15:17–24 NLT

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” ’ 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

15 Things Jesus Would Say to You “if” You Met Him for Coffee 

Although I can’t say for sure what Jesus would say to you if you met Him for coffee, here’s what I think might be at the top of the list:

NOW LISTEN… there shouldn’t be any Awkward Pauses after these statements.

if there is, today is the day to let faith arise

to trust in the Lord and

take action to reaffirm His Word to you!

I love you. The real you. Don’t look so surprised: I made you.

I see you. I know about your hopes, your hurts and your heartaches. I’m here to help.

There is grace for you.

Stop worrying.

Start trusting.

When you talk to Me, I listen.

Get going. Keep going. Get on the right path and stay there. (by the way, the right path.) I’m 

You are alone. I am with you. My Spirit is you. never  always  in 

The fear you feel isn’t from Me.

Follow Me: Love how I love. See how I see. Do what I do. Give how I give. Learn what I know. Live how I lived.

I forgive you. That’s why I allowed myself to be crucified.

The world will never truly satisfy your soul.

Obey me. It’s in your best interest and it brings me great honor.

The people in your life aren’t there by accident. Love them. Deeply. Even the tough ones. Especially the tough ones.

Be still and know that I am God.

I know there are many more things Jesus would say to you or to me.

His wisdom is endless.

His power is unmatched.

His love, forgiveness and acceptance is real— genuine.

After all Jesus is the Word!

Are you asking the “what if” questions?

it’s human to doubt— BUT GOD CREATED US TO BELIEVE AND TO TRUST HIM!

What would you ASK of God today?

it’s okay to ask.

“Call to him and he will answer and save”

Romans 10:13 NLT

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

"No favoritism”

Romans 2:10–11 NLT

10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

“His name is above every name”

Philippians 2:8–10 NLT

8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

"He wants you to be empowered to overcome” Why? Because He LOVES YOU!

Romans 8:35–37 NLT

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

NEXT STEPS