09-27-09 PM - Principles of Miracles: The Principle of Obedience

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John 2:1-11

John presents 7 miracle to encourage faith in Jesus Christ.

The miracle of turning water into wine is a common story that many have heard of before.

1. Jesus had already called out some of disciples.

2. Mary comes to Jesus about the wine.

3. Jesus asks why she is bothering him.

4. Mary asks again about the wine

• Wine in Jesus time represented joy.
• Religion was full of frustration and burdens from the pharisees.
• Today there are many who have frustration and burdens from their church experiences.
• It is time to restore the joy to our relationship with Jesus Christ.
  

Deeper significance:

- There are 6 stone water pots. Represented the emptiness of the Jewish religion.

• Stone was never considered unclean
• The jars represent the emptiness of the Jewish religion.
• 6 is symbolic of incompleteness. One short of seven.

5. Jesus say his hour has not yet come.

• His hour is the time of Crucifixion
• In the garden Jesus prays that his hour has come.
• The purpose of the hour was to glorify God.
• We have to ask the question, "Why do you truly want your miracle?"

Obedience is an act of faith.
When the servants filled the pots with water, they had faith.
Disobedience is an adultery of our will.

The Principle of Obedience

• Mary understood that it was not Jesus' time, but that He was going to do "something."
• She told the servants, "Whatever He tells you to do, just do it."
• When God tells us to do something in preparation for a miracle, it makes no sense to us.
• If we are obedient, the miracle will occur.

Principle: We are asked by God to do in the natural, before the supernatural occurs.

6. Jesus instructs them to draw out the water and give it to the master of the feast.

• Many of us would still be arguing with Jesus.
• God ALWAYS rewards obedience.
  

The burden of religion is replaced with the joy of relationship.

09-27-09 AM - A Family That Models

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Heb. 5:14

The righteous walk in integrity – happy are the children who follow them! – Proverbs 20:7 (NRSV)

I need to Model…

Maturity - Hebrews 5:14

Obedience Ephesians 6:1; 1 Corinthians 11:1; John 14:15

Do we expect more obedience out of our kids toward us than we expect from ourselves in relation to Jesus Christ?

Discipline 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Enthusiasm John 10:10b; Revelation 3:15-16

Love 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

09-27-09 AM - Missionary Message Barrale's

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Heidi & Joseph Barrale are with Chi Alpha Ministries.

09-20-09 PM - It's Time to Raise the Water Line

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Ezekiel 47

Landscape of America is similar to that of Ezekiel's time.

It all starts with the river.

• You are a temple
• Streams of living water will flow out of me.

Lessons from the river.

1. Everywhere the river flows everything lives.

• A salt sea become fresh water
• Fruit trees of many kinds
• Abundance of fish.

This is the river of life from Revelation

2. The River is Constantly Flowing

An infinite being can pour into a finite being infinitely.

3. The River is Flowing in a Particular Direction

Look for God's direction.
Think of every moment as a moment of destiny.

4. The River is not Safe, and that is not a Bad Thing

The further out you go, the deeper it gets.
As long as we can touch the bottom, we are doing it on our own.

Two Responses to the River

1. The religious response -

• Try to damn it up. We try to make an experience that has the image of looking deeper.
• Try to redirect the flow. We try to tell God the "better" way to do it.
• Try to keep others from the flow. Since we can't go deeper, we divert others.

2. The adventurous response.

• Go wherever the river flows and see where it takes you.
• Jump in, splash around and enjoy the presence of the Lord.
• Keep swimming until your feet don't touch and everything feels unsure.

We raise the water line by making time for God's spirit, to spend time with ours.

09-20-09 AM - A Family in Process

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You are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. – Matthew 5:48

Your Kids Need:

1. Understanding
It takes wisdom to have a good family, and it takes understanding to make it strong
- Proverbs 24:3 (NCV)

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
– Prov. 22:6

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
– Prov. 22:6

Train: To put something into the mouth.
Way – style, temperament, personality, nature, faculty

2. Acceptance

3. Discipline

• Hebrews 12:6
• Proverbs 13:24
• Proverbs 19:18

The attitude of the parent in punishment is anger, but the motivation behind discipline is love.

1. Do it calmly
2. Do it quickly
3. Do it sparingly

Don’t discipline kids for being kids; you discipline them for rebellion.

4. Love

• Affection - Psalms 145:9
• Affirmation – Psalms 145:14
• Attention – Psalms 145:18

5. Consistency
The Lord is righteous in everything He does…
- Psalms 145:17

09-13-09 PM - Principles of Miracles: The Principle of Purpose

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30And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
John 20:30-31 KJV

I) THE DEFINITION OF A MIRACLE

• a miracle is not a coincidence, not simply a rare event, or not something merely out of the ordinary.
• a miracle is the work of God in the world of humanity in a way that transcends human capacity to accomplish.

II) THE PURPOSE OF MIRACLES

the word Messiah is Hebrew for “the anointed.”

In other words, the proof of Jesus’ Messiah-ship was His words and works. The words He spoke, and the miracles He did were all the witness He needed.

• He wasn’t born to become a king; He already was the King of kings and Lord of lords.
• He came to become a sacrifice and to pay the price we could not pay.
• He wasn’t born to become a god; He already was God.
• He came to become a man, to walk in our shoes so that He could die our death and pay our debt.

The miracles were signs to those who had ears to hear and eyes to see.

The miracles were proof that Jesus was the Christ, the anointed One.

“Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Matt 11:3-7, NKJV)

38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.“ 39But He answered and said to them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matt 12:38-40

Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. Mat. 16:1

Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. Luke 11:16


III) THE PURPOSE OF MIRACLES TODAY

The point of signs and wonders in the life of Christ, and in the church today is to confirm the Word of God,

09-13-09 AM - A Family In Peace

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Mark 3:25 9/13/09 AM

1. THE REASON FOR CONFLICT
James 4:1-2a (NCV)

2. THE REACTIONS TO CONFLICT

1. MY WAY
2. NO WAY
3. YOUR WAY

3. THE RESOLUTION TO CONFLICT (eight steps to actually resolve conflict)

A. BECOME A CHRISTIAN Or act like one

B. TALK TO GOD ABOUT IT James 4:2b (NCV)

C. ANALYZE THE PROBLEM Matthew 7:3-4 (Message)

D. SCHEDULE A PEACE CONFERENCE Matthew 5:23-24 (NCV)

E. ESTABLISH GROUND RULES
- NEVER COMPARE
- NEVER CONDEMN
- NEVER COMMAND
- NEVER CHALLENGE
The three most common threats in marriage are:
sex, money, divorce And poor communication about all three
- NEVER CONDESCEND
- NEVER CONTRADICT
- NEVER CONFUSE Proverbs 11:29 (TLB)

F. SWITCH YOUR FOCUS Philippians 2:4-5
- When we're angry, typically we're preoccupied with ourselves.

G. ASK FOR ADVICE Proverbs 12:15

DON’T GIVE UP
- It is more rewarding to resolve a conflict than to dissolve a relationship

09-06-09 PM - Living in the Fear of the Lord

Click here to download: LIVING IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD
(Right click and select "save as" to save to your hard drive.)

1. DEFINITION OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD
A. Human Fear
B. Fear of the Lord

2. DIVIDENDS OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD
A. It is the Essence of Life
B. It is the Beginning of Wisdom
C. It Motivates People to Holy Living
The degree to which you fear the LORD will be the degree to which you hate evil.
D. It Prolongs Life
E. It Produces a Sense of Confidence and Security

3. DECISION RELATED TO THE FEAR OF THE LORD
A. An Individual Decision
B. An Identifiable Decision
Grace is not an EXCUSE but an EMPOWERMENT

09-06-09 AM - Family With A Purpose

To download the file use this link: Family with a Purpose

1. COMMITMENT

2. TIME TOGETHER
Every human being has two basic needs: Love and Acceptance.

3. APPRECIATION

4. COMMUNICATION
a. Listen with the attitude that your spouse’s comments are top priority. (Give focused attention)
b. Listen with an attitude of acceptance and willingness to understand.
c. Listen with an attitude that your spouse is not your enemy.
d. Listen with an attitude of willingness to hear what God may be saying through your spouse.
e. Listen with an attitude of wanting clarification.
f. Listening encourages understanding and builds oneness.


5. COPING SKILLS

STATEMENTS ABOUT PROBLEMS AND FAMILIES

• Every Family has Problems
• Not all Families Respond the same way to Problems
• Our Response to Problems will Make Us or Break Us

6. SPIRITUAL HEALTH