Do You ~ Pastor Garrett [FCC Tampa, Fl]

- we are God's handy work; the salt of the world. Do good works so that man will glorify God! 
- God wants you to embrace the unique personality He has given you so that you can reach your full potential & purpose that he designed for your life (Matthew5:13-18 & Ephesians 2:10) 
        3 points: 
             -Point # 1: why you should do you
             -Point # 2: how to do you 
             -Point # 3: what it means to do you


-Psalms 139:18 --> God thinks about you! When he thinks about you, He is not thinking about all of the reasons you're not qualified to be in His presence.. he's thinking about his plans for your life! His thoughts of you are precious. It doesn't say that they are "evil"


POINT 1: Why should you do you??
     -reason #1: Because everyone else is already taken! (John 21:15-23) 
               For every time Peter denied Jesus (3 times), Jesus restores him saying "you loveth me.." 
               *If you try to be someone else, you can only be second best! 
               *You can lose so much time worrying about what everyone else is doing!! Do what God told YOU to do and stop worrying about what he's doing with everyone else. 
--> 2 Corinthians 12:14- 
      -reason#2: when you DON'T do you, you rob yourself of the fulfillment of what God has called you to have, and you rob the world of the gift God has placed in you for his glory. 
*We need everyone, every person, to do their part and DO THEM so that the kingdom of God can have the impact it's supposed to have. When we understand this, it frees us from insecurities and jealousy! 
           ex: your body. your nose isn't looking at your feet saying, "look at them. they think they something just because they carrying this body around.." or your ears to you eyes, "they think they can see? that's not so great. I can see better than they can!" --> NO YOU CAN'T! you're an "ear" --> just like in the body of Christ! It seems pretty silly for your body parts to be competing with one another right? This is the same in Christ's body. We are all members but we all have our own distinct styles and personalities for a reason.. we serve a God that loves diversity! Even identical twins have different fingerprints. What you do, and how you do it is distinctly you! Don't be jealous or compare your style to someone else's 


*The only reason a born-again believer of Christ can be jealous is because they don't fully know and understand who they are! Because if they did, if they thought about all the thoughts God has of you, you'd be too busy trying to receive what he has for you than worrying about someone else! 


          Reason#3: --> Matthew 5:14- 
    - be who you are in the presence of other people because when you shine, God shines! 
*John 1:18 says Jesus is the light of the world, but here in Matthew, he says that i'm the light. Are we both the light? Jesus says yes. 
              --> ex: The moon. A body that has no light of its own, but shines from the reflection of the "sun's" light- when you embrace who you are in Christ you shine your light unto the world and allow the "son" to be seen, even when the "sun" isn't. 
(referenced: 1 Corinthians6:17) 
This goes far beyond your physical needs- the new job, etc. 


Reason#4: -->Romans 8:19
  - the most creative person lives IN you AND he's your dad!! You have enough power to change the whole world! There's enough ideas, solutions, etc. in first service alone to change the world in 24 hrs, but we've suppressed it. 
--> It comes down to this: everyone wants to be "liked," to fit in! but what happens is that you try to fit in so much to the point where you suppress the person god has called you to be, not just to be a blessing for yourself but to be a blessing for someone else [basically you're hindering someone else from getting blessed when you aren't yourself! wow!] 
-sometimes we don't reach our full potential because we feel like we're so different [wrong size, shape, skin color, personality, etc] that people won't accept us, etc. 
POINT #2: How to do you (ref'd scriptures: Isaiah 43, Daniel 32) 
1) prayer (Luke 6:12) --> You can't do you (in Christ) if you don't have a prayer life. Throughout the bible you see Jesus praying.. later you see Jesus saying he has to go to a certain town or city. HOW does he know he's to go there? Because he's in connect with God. You'll never know what you're supposed to do if you don't pray to the one who does know!
2)find yourself in the word of God (john1:19-23)
3)Get rid of limited thinking (Luke 37) 
4)step out on faith--> Well, God didn't save you for security! You're not always going to be comfortable. Sometimes to follow God, you are going to have to take some risks! *It may seem like a risk to you, but to god, it's a sure thing. 
5)Learn to keep a secret (Matthew 6:5-6) --> there are times where you can't tell everybody everything God is going to do in you
6)Let go of the weights that beset you (doesn't always have to be sin, although that is included)
         ex: you want to be a millionaire but can't balance a check! Hebrews 12:1-2; Proverbs 7:17
7)Understand your need for divine connection with others (Ephesians 4:16)

The "Break-up" ~ Pastor Brandon Davis #TeamLifted

Scripture reference: Romans 6, beginning at verse number one.
- there's nothing like being free from sin
*The most miserable people on Earth are the back-slid Christians because they know the truth! They know and have experienced God for themselves! 
- why hide from God when he's the ONLY one who can fix it??! --> It's very important that we don't take advantage of God's mercy.. because we don't know when it will run out. 
- Our God didn't change! His character is unchanging. The same God that poured his wrath out onto the people of the old testament is the same God we serve today. The reason we have not yet felt his wrath is because Jesus satisfied it by dying on the cross. 
-How do you know if you're truly living for God if you live that way?? If you live as if you can do whatever you want and just ask God to forgive you when you slip up? 
- People that take advantage of other people really don't love them--> friends that only come to you when they want something. Are they really your friends? (apply to spirituality) Do you really love God when you only seek him to fix your problems or forgive you?
- if sin is dead to you, it no longer has influence over you. It doesn't look good to you anymore. 
-your spirit is affected by three things: what you hear, say, and watch
- If we are playing in sin, we may not be happy Jesus washed them away! 
- God says to hate ALL sin--> that includes sinful MUSIC, TV, etc. Anything not of god. 
*However, when you've surrounded yourself with sin for so long, and you've been playing with sin, you sometimes won't be able to tell the difference between what is evil(sin) and what is acceptable. 
-ex: let's use music. Some people say that they listen to a certain kind of music because they "like the beat," even though they know it contradicts the God they say they serve. 
      Q: "If it's just music, why can't you put it down?" 
      someone answered: " because i like it." --> okay...Q: "why do you like it? If it has NOTHING in common with the God you say you serve, but you "like it," maybe your relationship with Him isn't as tight as you though.." **oxymoron don't you think?? 
- The whole purpose of you being buried in Christ and being resurrected is to put all the sinful ways aside and live a life according to God's will and His word. 
* Many people want to share in the burial of Christ, which symbolizes Jesus dying for our sins, but they don't want to share in his resurrection, which symbolizes newness of life. 
- you can't expect to be forgiven by Christ while not even trying to live your life his way. 
- we want to do wrong, but we want our lives to go well, THEN get mad at God if it doesn't. 
(we didn't finish this lesson, so more is to come next week hopefully) 

A Generation That Seeks God ~ Nate Perkins

My church family at Faith Christian Center had another guest preacher bring the Word this morning, as our bishops, George and April Davis are taking a much needed vacation. 


Referenced Scriptures: 
2 Chronicles 7:14, 2 Chronicles 26:5, Hebrews 11:6, Isaiah 55, Psalm24:1, Hebrews 2:1, Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 6:33, Psalm 107, Exodus 3:11, Luke 17:11, 1John5, Isaiah 43, Luke 11:1, Galatians 5:16, Proverbs 20, Joshua 24:15


-Get to a point where you require God, NOT because you are in trouble, but because you want to. Do it just because you love Him. 
-make sure God is at the right place in your life--> prioritize! (He deserves all of your heart, not half, not 3/4)
- Sometimes we want to change the rules, or only abide by some of them (scriptures/commandments), yet we still want the same victory
- as a christian, you get out of it what you put into it --> it's a personal relationship! You and God. No one else. Yes, it's great to have friends and family praying with you and for you, but bottom line is that they can't save you. 
-when we do things God's way, we will get God's results. 
- are we a generation that seeks the FACE of God, or the HAND of God? (if god didn't do another thing for you, would you still seek him?)
- we praise God for all he has done for us but we worship God just for being god. We worship him just for being who he is. 
- we have to be the generation that is not in it for ourselves but for God, and God alone. 
~7 Things to be the generation: ~ 
1) be thankful (Luke 17:11-)
             - God always has your best interest at heart. It may not make sense to you in your mind. but God already knows the other side of your obedience. 
             - We need to mark those spots where God has brought us through because the enemy is good at reminding us of all the negative (the lost loved one, the hurt, suffering, etc.)
             - Sometimes we can have like 50 good things going and only one bad thing, and the enemy gets us to focus all of our attention on that one bad thing. Be thankful for the 50 good things! We can't allow things of the past to keep us bound when God is trying to push us forward! But many of us stop. God has already told you where to go, how to get there, etc. but you're stuck where you are because of what you're going through.
*We need to learn to praise God with the same passion that we ask for it so when we get it we have the same passion to praise him. Some people expect blessings. They feel as if God has to do that for them.  
2) be persistent in prayer.
              - Prayer is man's legal permission for God to step in and intervene in our situations. 
              - Prayer is not just a "God To-Do List" --> we can't always go to him with our hands out, but actually spend time worshiping him, and being in awe of him. 
              - Prayer doesn't cause faith to come. You should already have the faith when you are seeking God. It's the other way around. 
3) don't be led by your emotions. Be led by the Holy Spirit.
              - You have to learn to start encouraging yourself in the Lord sometimes. (before you can lead someone else in Christ, you need to make sure you are leading yourself) 
              - when your faith is on trial (meaning, you are going through struggles, challenges, etc.) you have to get past the drama --> let your emotions calm down before you make any rash decisions (like quitting your job, getting a divorce, etc) because God's will still has to be completed. 
 4) Make the word of God the final authority in your life
              - you have to adjust your life to the word, not the other way around. The word is not built to accommodate you. You were built to adjust and adapt to how the word works in your life.
              - the devil feeds us lies (like we're different, or church isn't for me, etc) --> we turn these lies into excuses --> those excuses leave us crippled and we aren't living out the word in our lives; we use the lies as excuses as to why we can't do what God says. 
 5)Refuse to give up on your faith and God's word--> The devil's plan ultimately revolves around trying to get you to a point where you feel like the word of God doesn't work. 
6)Keep the Right attitude -- > in the midst of situations, especially the ones where you are upset, you don't always feel like praying or reading scriptures. In fact, those are probably the two farthest things from your mind at the moment. "i'll pray later, i'm mad right now. Did she really just try me like that?" etc. No. you are still called to keep the right attitude and seek God so that you do his will and not act out of your emotions. 
7)Love God, love people. --> if you are going to do His will, you have to love God, love truth, love what you are called to do, and love people 

Check out my brother Laki on youtube--> "LAKITRUESTORY"

Shout out to my big bro Laki --> spittin dat truth for Christ!! That's whats up!

Midnight Epiphany

I woke up in the middle of the night, around 3:00 am, and i could not go back to sleep at all! I was just lying there in the bed, when something in my spirit was pushing me to get my bible. I began flipping through, unsure of what exactly it was that I was searching for, until I landed on Psalm 37:4 which reads: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you all your heart's desires." 


When I read this scripture, I immediately thought back on a conversation that my friend Sophia and I were having on Facebook. I was concerned that while I was spending time in the presence of God by reading, praying and worshiping, I wasn't fully IN the presence of God. Yes, I was doing his work, but was I really taking the time to stop and listen to what He had to say to me? Was I taking the time to make sure that God was the first and only solution to any and every problem that came tumbling my way? Am I striving to be more and more like Christ in my daily walk? Or, was I simply a Christian who had a great "confessional" theology, but was lacking something deeper in her "functional" theology? 


I didn't want to be that Christian. God has done so much for me, and continues to do so much for me, that I could not bear the idea of simply talking about Him. God is so worthy of being at the forefront of all of our conversations, however, I can't be satisfied by just talking about him. I want to talk to Him! After all, he's the best dad anyone can ever ask for. I love to share the greatness of God with anyone who bothers to lend an ear, but I love talking to Him just as much! To hear him speak into my life and teach me more of His will is wonderful! However, it's hard to hear from God when other things demand your attention. 


So, I prayed about that. It's a prayer that I have been seeking God about for nearly a week now, after one of my brothers decided it was best for him to delete his Facebook account in order to have more time to be available to God. Well, I wanted to know what aspects of my life could be removed so that I could better serve God as well. Although God is still working on his response to that question, he has begun to show me little pieces of his will.


 For one thing, i'm definitely cutting back on phone time. My mother didn't pay my phone bill this month, and at first I was upset by that. However, as the days passed by, it may have been one of the best things for me right now. I text all day! I had Facebook as this little blue app and was constantly updating statuses and uploading the latest pictures via Facebook mobile. But how much of that time could have been spent with God? How often would I leave that text unopened, and go seek more of God in his word? Seldom, if ever. Having a phone wasn't all bad though. I used to send out good morning texts to all of my friends with a scripture or quote so everyone would have a little nugget of encouragement for the day. When I turn it back on, I will be more mindful of how much time I spend using it, so that I always have time for God. 


I'm seeking God first in everything. If there is anything that He thinks i should cut down on, or remove completely from my life, let it be. For it is not my will, but the will of my father. Even if he were to call me to eliminate something that I love, say volleyball for instance, I will do it because I know it will be for his glory in the end, and that's what we live for. We live to give God glory. 

Everything

I can watch this video a million times and still be moved everytime i see it..

I Hate You by Mali Music

I love this song!! For those of you who say; "well God says to love everyone!" --> That is true. However, the bible also talks about how a servant cannot have two masters, for they will surely love one and hate the other.

It All Belongs To You by Damita Haddon

This song always puts me in a place of worship!

All I Need Is You

Nurturing faith in a world of fear

-Hebrews:6

-1 element of faith is approaching God in the fight way

-faith--> to approach God in the absolute confidence of God's character that everything He said is going to/ already being done & will happen in your lifetime

-faith doesn't really become faith until you pass the test

->you can believe, but you have to start exercising your faith

      -> ex: trying to lose weight: you may agree w/ the doctor that you need to lose weight but just agreeing [ or in the spiritual sense, nodding your head and saying "amen"] will not slim you down. exercise does.

-don't panic when the test(s) show up because they are needed for promotion [you will keep dealing w/ the same test until you show God that you have passed it]

-we have to make sure we look the same on this side of the test as we do on the other side, because if we don't, we are compromising our faith...

-trick of the enemy = to get you to think that the storm you go through is bigger than God

-->pressure causes amnesia!! -> when you're pressured[going through tests/difficult times] you begin to get so consumed w| the size of the storm/ test that you FORGET about everything God has ALREADY brought you out of.

-view your troubles/ trials as a way to promote you--> hold fast to your faith, believe in the true character of God & knowing that you will see his plan for you revealed in his lifetime...

-be faithful to God and ourselves to prepare/study BEFORE the test arrives!

--> sometimes you may be hearing the same messages/words from God multiple times because that is God's way of getting your attention. he is saying "Hey!! this is important!!" --> he is preparing you for the test(s) that are ahead.

--> you have to latch on to every word God reveals to you so that you will be ready to face whatever may be heading your way [like students studying multiple topics for an exam in school]

-our revelation has to match God's preparation

-every test isn't handled the same way: some tests you have to speak to [bind in the name of Jesus, speak scriptures, etc.], some you have to run from[ not as a coward, but like Joshua fleeing his master's wife], soe you have to be bold and faithful enough to attack head on, etc.

-the margin between your test and God is the "stretch"

   -> stretch [as a runner does to finish first in a race by crossing the tape first]

            --> spiritually, it can be taken to mean putting yourself in a position that may not be comfortable and may look like you are about to fall..

if you don't practice/stretch/pressing toward God

 BEFORE the test, you may find that your timing is a little off when you are trying to apply that practice in the middle of the test

-matthew 15:21-

- 1 element of 'stretching' [faith] is having a certain level of humility

ref'd scriptures: 1 Peter1:5- ; Phil3:10- ; 1Cor6:18- ;1Cor10:13- ; acts 27:9- ; mark 4:16-17; Rom10:17  

Just my thoughts on bible study last friday

i felt like i had to share this with someone..i felt like it'd be an injustice to the holy spirit just to keep it for myself. anywayz.. u can take from it what u will, read the scriptures yourself, whatever. this is just a little bit of what i took notes on [notes character limit = too small] + some things i heard Seven say that really hit my heart

scriptures that were mentioned or i thought of in relation to the topic:

1peter 4:1 ; rom6:14 ; acts 4:12; rom8:33; rom8:37; psalm 38; psalm 73: 25-28; jeremiah17; matthews5:28:30

Q:who really quenches the thirst of our souls?

      -everyone is born w| a thirst greater than what this world can provide for them

~the benefits of drinking from the Living Water & the consequences of NOT drinking from the living water~

-jeremiah 2:13- 

--> God says it himself! evil- living a life seeking after thigs other than God

sin = a world w|o God. we live like there is no god. like earth is our last destination, but it's not! we have more in store for us up in heaven

- psalm 73: 25-26

         ---> vs. 28 = a consequence 4 not seeking after God..

-your "idol" = whatever your mind is on the most other than God. it can be people, hobbies, talents, money, etc. [aka: what u give ur attention to the most] 

-"how much do u really love Jesus?? like you can't fully believe in Him if you are living totally opposite of his word." ~Seven J

*don't get so focused/caught up in doing the work of the Lord that you forget about God. you can be in the presence of God [by reading the word, or ministering, etc] and not fully BE in the presence of God[being still, listening, meditating on what he says to you,etc] 

** u can say with your mouth what you "think" but you'll do what you "believe"  --> stolen 4rm tyree

-don't care about anything of this world! just Jesus [the risen savior] and spreading his words, living it to the best of your ability w| the holy spirit working through you ~ seven 

-"the bible is not a book of comfort. when he talks about peace, Jesus is talking about the peace you find when u confide in him.." (etc) ~seven

-*today has to be the day that you are living 4 God 100 + %  b/c not everyone is guaranteed the same amount of time to get right w| him. u are not promised tommorow. but when everyday you wake up, it's hard o get a realistic view that your next day is not promised! [toya & tyree discussing the text]

-"it's not a matter of life or death, but a matter of ETERNAL life and ETERNAL death" ~ tyree

-->don't mourn over when/where/how i died. where my soul at? where am i spending my eternity? could you have said something to me before i died? what u were with me the night i died? maybe God put you there at that specific time and place to minister to me before i went.. 

-"u WILL go to hell chasing afterthis world, because you wont have enough time to get to know him" ~seven

-He is still God, whether you serve him or not. God can make servants! nothing you do can mandate God's blessings ~seven

- a new day = another chance to chase after God ~ seven

-on judgment day, when you can actually SEE Jesus, you not goin to want the things of this world because you believe now, you see him. But it's going to be too late then. you are going to want him because you know that your only other option is eternal fire. you're not going to be like "oh God, since i'm not stayin, i'd like a big house, some new shoes, etc" you are NOT going to want any of that stuff you were chasing down here on Earth then! but when you are standing face to face with God, it will be to late. you wont be able to blink your eyes and you're back on earth for a second chance.. ~seven

-God can't just be a HUGE part of your life, he has to BE your life! God is not a hobby. ~seven

-your relationship w| God shouldn't change just because he takes away something of this world [money, loved ones, happiness, etc] By the act of calvary ALONE, we are already spoiled!... nothing you have is yours. it's not your marriage, your car, your house, your money, etc. God says that to love the world is to be an enemy....are you really going to love this sinful life more than me? i gave mine up for you! and mine was perfect. i lived a perfect life and gave it up for you so that you could have the life that you have! but if you want to save your life, if you want to love your wife, your kids, your job,etc. more than me and you're not willing to give it up so that you can have a perfect one up here in heaven with me, then DON"T follow me ~Jesus, as told by seven

*don't chase after this world, chase after God!! be content in whatever is thrown your way. God. Period. NOT God & if you do this for me God then i will believe, etc. NO!! GOD ONLY

"Dying to Change" ~ Bishop George Davis ~ Romans 6:1-

- Jesus died to give us access to God -> salvation should come after change.

- God doesn't want to just change the inside, but transform the outside as well

* the change comes when you RENEW your mind (if you don't renew your mind, you may just be a born-again believer on the inside only)

- you have to be exposed to a certain expectation of how God operates.

**You can end up with a short-term HIGH of god and no long-term RELATIONSHIP/ commitment/ encounter with him if you don't renew your mind.

7 STEPS TO RENEWING YOUR MIND (sorry, we only got through 4 of them)

1) identify the root cause to your "success"  (i will check next week because i didnt catch the last word of this step, but it only makes sense given the notes that follow that it would be success)

2) **settle the fact that God is right about everything, and we are wrong if we disagree with Him.

3) meditate God's word daily to establish right thinking (psalm 119:84)

4) evaluate & change what you're hearing & seeing

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Enemy's trick = to make you so guilty to the point that quit! But keep chasing after God!! Never stop trying.

-don't worry about what the devil might throw at you to convince you otherwise. it's between you and God, not you and the devil.

-Joshua 1:8 -> your success is NOT defined by economic or political status; you must live out the word of God. 

                           -> ** a lot of Christians want to live out THEIR own way but get GOD results!

-Yes, God governs over us. However dont blame every bad thing that happens to you on God's doing!! -> Psalm115: what happens down here has more to do with what WE do, not God. HOWEVER he still helps us out...

            -> ex: you're 17, you sneak out of the house when your parents aren't home, and you go to a teen club. upon arrival, shots ring out, you're hit in the head and you stumble to the ground. At that moment you are wondering why you even came to that club in the first place. All the people around you are screaming, and crying, but you are still on the ground, dying. God didn't put you in that situation. However when you continue to live and follow that course leading to destruction, sometimes you get into crashes..

- 1 reason why many christians don't do the right thing: b/c we are trying to will ourselves to do it God's way, but you need revelation! -> 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4 - before you can obey the word, you first must receive revelation of the word.

-meditating is not just closing your eyes and clearing your mind (according to the bible). it means you can take a scripture, repeat it break it down, etc.

       -> example: psalm 23 "the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.."

              - okay... the Lord. The Lord. My provider. Wonderful. Merciful...

               - is my shepherd... shepherd. The good shepherd. That means i/we must be the sheep. He is sovereign over me&you. That means he reigns and i obey his commandments..

                - I shall not want.... I .. me... i shall not want. That means that if i listen to God's calling over my life and follow his commandments he will take care of all of my needs and i won't want for anything!!!

* you see how much more yuou get out of that verse when you meditate on it, rather than just reading it?? and you can do that with any scripture!!

-watch out for hearing anything thats not annointed. DONT listen to it.

*you can't expect to think/act out annointed thoughts if your mind is saturated with stuff that does not line up with the word of God

(references: Eph.1:17; Collosians3:18-; Eph6:; Psalm 101:3; mark4:23-24)

-we ALWAYS look at the end result: the mess up. The lust, the adultery, sin etc. Oh God, please forgive me. I'm sorry. I know i said i wouldn't go there anymore, or do that anymore, etc. BUT we need to back up and think about the MINDSET that got us there!!!

           -> ex: "any man that lusts after a married woman has already commited adultery with her.."

*everything you see & hear WILL IMPACT YOUR HEART!! whether you agree or not, eyes, ears, mouth = the gates/windows to your heart.

          -> you struggle with your flesh when you put secular things before your eyes.

(prov. 4: 20) Living out a holy christian life isnt hard, but living a DOUBLE-LIFE (Christian on the weekends and a whole different person during the week)

- 1 Corinthians7

- so often do christians accept the ungodly, unannointed, sinful things of this world. -> our morality boarder[what we are ok with and what we won't go for] should be smaller than what it is. ex: pre-marital sex, homosexuality, killing, etc. is all made to seem acceptable throught what we listen to, watch, and do. Some of the music out right now is really nothing more than pornography in lyric form.

**Anything that tries to give you a SHORT_CUT to the way God says to do something is the Devil trying to knock you off course.

-step #5: submit to an environment that challenges our "stinking thinking" (that is, your thinking that is not aligned with the word of God)

-if you are my friend i should be a greater christian when im around you.

-my close friends should challenge me to stop my negative thinking (thoughts of temptations to sin, etc), NOT beat you down about it but redirect your mind to that which is aligned with the word of God.

-we all have a tendency to setle for the "norm" (ex: no one else on my block makin straight A's so even though i KNOW i am capable of making straight A's i'm not going toeven try to earn them..)

-it's going to be hard for you to renew your mind if you are still hanging around friends that think the way you used to think.

-step# 6: commit to the longterm pain of change (it takes time)

--> philipians 1:6

everyone has some things to change. God said that he would be working on us until the very moment he calls us home. THEREFORE, we must have something in us that needs to be fixed

-have enough integrity of heart not to boast around like ou are perfectas a Christian because ou are not!

-change is a process

->1peter5:8-

-when ou're attempting to renew your mind, it's a longterm process that ou must continuall work at

--> 2 Corinthians 10:3-

-don't let our thoughts dictate our actions ((u and your thoughts are not one!)

->john8:31&32

-life and death are determined by what is sown into our lives

->john 15:1

(step # 7): remind yourself daily that you can do nothing without Christ.

Why Preach?? ~ minister Brandon (youth pastor @ Faith Christian Center)~ thursday youth service

- 1 trick of the devil is to get us to a point where we don't even realize that people around us are hurting! (because we become so focused on whats best for us and how we can get blessed, etc). You never get healing before glorifying the name of God.

**QUESTION: how is it possible for you to have friends and they AREN"T christian??! --> the most terrible thing about Hell is that the presence of God is there, and you can't get to Him. his grace, glory, love, mercy, kindness, etc. is all there!!! BUT you can't get to it, Him. You had a choice to love him...

--> **Would you want to live with that guilt for all eternity??! (the guilt of knowing that you could have shared, you had the opportunity to share the Gospel with a friend, stranger, etc, and they could have possibly given their life to Christ, but you were too afraid to open your mouth and share the good news with them..) God is soverien in both heaven and hell

*if the christians never lift up Jesus, how will the world ever see him?

-"preach" - to make known, to announce openly or proclaim

          -> this isn't a shy person, or a popular person for that matter.

                      -> *anyone who hates being corrected probably is not a Christian! (wow!) God contradicts the things of the world, and vice versa. he is a father who corrects his children out of love..

                                   -> if  your friends don't want to be held up to God's standards, judged by him, why would they want you in their faces constantly proclaiming the name of Jesus??!

-we have to be careful b/c we can go a few days w/o being in the presence of God and we may look fine on the outside, but in actuality, we are slowly dying like a branch that has been removed from the vine. 

-you can't be damaged beyond repair if you have Jesus

-Jesus can fix you, but you have to go to him! & he is the only one that can satisfy our needs!

-don't worry about your hurt! --> go out into the world and help others with their hurt & i guarantee you that god will take care of yours 

*Q: what's the reason you don't want people saved?? (b/c you must not want them saved if you're not opening your mouth to share God w/ them!)

*you'll never be pleasing to God until you realize that you need him (heaven should be the last thing on your mind)

-everyday you almost have to live in the mindset of "hey, does that person know Jesus?" 

-open your eyes!! there's life outside of highscool!! life is bigger than your household

---> [continued..] Matthew 9:34-38

point # 1: 

point# 2: have the same compassion 4 the lost that Christ had 4 them

point #3: (1 timothy2:4) know that God desires for everyone to be saved --> therfore we should want them saved too!

point #4: God ensures that everyone he sends out is equipped to preach!! --> he gave us all the same power that he had! --> that's what you need to build your faith on!

- you have to start speaking the word of God into your own life before you can speak it into someone else's life!

*Jesus ought not be a expression or phrase! we must use that name with respect

-we have the power to cast out all demons & afflictions & pain. & we must have the faith in the name of Jesus 

-point #4 continued--> luke 10:17-  --> God kicked Satan out of heaven faster than lightning and he turned into a SERPANT! Jesus's name gives us authority and power to triumph over the heads of serpants (vs 20)

-bk to the text: healing will never take place before/ unless you procliam Jesus first (because he is the one doing the healing..)

- the answer to all problems is Jesus! nothing else

-Q: why did Jesus care/ have compassion for the multitudes??

      A: b/c the people were harassed; harassed- to be distressed, to have great pain, to have anxiety and sorrow. To have acute physical & mental suffering, afflictions & trouble.

- helpless: to feel like a failure or disappointment.

Refer to Matthew25:31

"The God of the Lost" - by God, as preached by Mac Brunson of First Baptist of Jacksonville - morning service

-topic  scripture: Luke 15:1-2 (even though i'd read a little further to make sure you get the whole jist of the message)

->Luke shows God's heart for the lost

- A little background info about parables:

        a) a pararble is a story with a very significant, profound message/ meaning

        b) its NOT allegorical!! meaning, it's not an allegory

        c) it discusses the ethics of Jesus' character

        d) theological issues

        e) is it saying something about our savior??

*Reminder: Luke is not writing to the Jews (the children of God), but rather the gentiles, who were considered "lost"

Q: do i really care about lost people? Do i really care about the fact that there are millions of  lost people being condemned to eternal damnation everyday?

1) The Action of God towards the lost

-Man feels that it is "politically incorrect" to say a) that Jesus is the only way and b) that without Jesus, you're going to hell

-man has always been trying to perfect itself -> now it's to the point where man feels that its close enough to being able to correct itself

-but the sad truth is that man is helplessly lost! We are sinners in desperate need of a savior-> so what does Luke say about God's heart towards the lost??

*Q: Where are you?? (the question God asks Adam in the garden-> refer to Genesis 3)

 -> In sin, Adam was hiding from God. But God came down, and sought after Adam (another reference-> Ez. 34)

 2) The Attraction of Jesus to the Lost

      Luke 15:1-2 (refer back to Luke 14:25 as well)

- Here, Jesus associates with 3 groups of people:

     Group #1: The disciples -> Jesus is giving them instruction

     Group #2: The Pharisees -> these were like the high priests that talked bad about Jesus and wanted Him dead because through Jeses' righteousness, their own errors/ flaws were revealed to the people

     Group #3: The Crowd(s) -> Jesus is trying to encourage these people

- the mindset of the pharisees in lamen terms: DON'T go near a sinner, EVEN when trying to share the gospel with them (the pharisees thought these people basically should be condemned for their sins, etc)

Crazy seeing Jesus with these people-> a man who has dinner with sinners?

(reference to acts 24: 15)

-> ***Jesus does NOT save u because he is attracted to your sin, but because he's a savior! He doesn't love you because there's something in you to love, but because that's who he is! God is love. (-> John 3:16. He either loves us or he doesnt! but, its pretty clear that God DOES indeed love us you guys)

***There is nothing in you worthy of salvation. But God loves you. That's who He is! There's nothing in us thats "lovable" or even "likable"

3)The reaction of heaven to the lost being saved (ref. to vs 7)

-God is NOt a genie in a BOOK (catch how i didnt say bottle, but "book") -> you can't just "rub" (open) the book, and poof! He answers instantaneously.

(ok he referenced a LOT of scriptures at this part so im just going to give you the list. i don't think i got em all, but from the few i have you should get what he was talking about. Dt. 36, Is62:5, Jer32:41, Rom15:13, acts54, etc)

-Joy in heaven-> when a lost person is found

man.. i wish i took better notes, i was kinda off today- cramp in the hand or something. But this was such a powerful msg. Even though it talks about God and His love for the lost, i think we can shift it to show how we as believers are expected to recipricate this same love that God showed us to other people as well. that make sense? Hopefully it does. Feel free to share this on your wall so others can see it as well

who is your valentine??? ~seven j Luke7:36 -50

first: you must understand who the pharisees were- very high&mightputy religious people. <span> </span>                       second: put yourself into one of two positions in the text: a)the woman or b)the pharisees. (the woman was very sinful; the pharisees looked down on her (judged). #1:she didnt let her sin or her situation hinder her from getting to know God. (she went into the house). Q: how many times do we allow our sins to keep us from going to God in prayer/ worship??- the devil puts up this wall like everytime you try to pray, he is there constantly reminding you of past sins to discourage you. 2: this woman brings what is most important to her to Gods feet. (she is crying, sacrificing, praying). Q: what are you willing to sacrifice in order to get into Gods presence?? -God can interpret our tears.  -sometimes its hard to come to God b/c of the reputation you have. you fear it will be tarnished/messed up if people were to find out about your sins. 2: dont let your worth cause you to forget God is worthy. -the pharisees are just sitting down with Jesus -> they are in his presence, yet they treat him & act like they arwn't!! *but the woman has been in a position of worship since she walked thru the door! (*what makes them so special that she has to kneel down and pray and worship, but they dont/ -nothing). *no one will come out and say that they feel they are just as worthy if not more worthy than God, but we say it through our actions! (ex: "im not about to mess up my makeup with all this crying" or "id lift my hands but im not tryna wrinkle this shirt!" are just two examples"). that is really dangerous when yyou start treating yourself like you are more important than God... 3: *the level of your love will match the magnitude of your forgiveness. -the wager os sin is death! frankly speaking, we should all be dead! analogy: say youre a kid, you just got home from school after gwtting in trouble knowing your mom is going to beat you the minute you walk through that front door. you would be scared right? (flip it to the spiritual): so God... God is winding back his hand, preparing to beat yo behind for every sin you have ever committed. and Jesus stands over you and takes the licks (that were not his at all!) just so you couldnt feel it??!! Jesus took our beatings b/c of our sins and we have the audacuty to showc more love to people than God?? would we care then if Jesus had stepped aside and let God whoop us like he should have?? maybe we would care then.. -all sin is equal to God: dont try and say, "well that sin isnt as bad as that sin" - when you weigh your own sins like that, you are kaming judgements on your own life -> you stop playing "creation" and start playing "creator" -youre basically trying to play God b/c he is the only judge. you dont have that right. *be careful who u talk about and judge b/c they could be the very ones God is defending! (in the txt, Jesus defended the woman and forgave her of her sins- verses 44-48). some of us invite jesus into our hearts but do nothing more to make him feel at home or welcome!! (and yes there are people out there who only accept christ to say they arent going to hell). Q: who are you going to make your valentine??. 

Re-define the term "Christian"

this note is way past overdue but whatever...

"Christian" - a 9-letter word found on page 62 of The New International Webster's Standard Dictionary. An adjective meaning "of those who follow the teachings of Christ" or used as a noun, " a follower of Christ".

Following what webster gives as the definition of a christian, i, a person who asserts to BE a Christian, should faithfully and fullheartedly abide by the guidelines that make up the essence of the word. Point granted, we who call ourselves the children of God will stumble and approach temptation as we travel further on the journey towards our promised destination.  HOWEVER, that is not to be used as a crutch for our wrongdoings. God understands that we are human. As human beings, we are apt to fall short of God's glory. That is different from sinning intentionally and then going back and asking God for forgiveness. My main point for saying all of this is very simple: stand up and be who you say you are! If you call yourself a Christian, OWN IT! "I am a child of God" - it's easier said than done, i understand that. i include myself in this. But, honestly, "christians" are giving Christians a bad name; a bad reputation. Go hard or go home! God is not asking for half of you. He is not asking for you to give him a quarter and you can keep the rest to give to your boo, or for yourself. He is asking for all of you! When you really sit down and think about it, it isn't that selfish of request, considering all that He has done, is doing, and will do for us in the future. why is it so hard for us to let go of the riegns and let God take over. ( "God is the pilot, Jesus is my co-pilot. Yet i continue to backseat drive. When will i leave the driving to the professionals??" ) Why is it so hard for us to offer God total praise when we worship him, instead of looking to our right or left before uttering a sound?? We are all aiming at the same target. if anything, we should be uplifting eachother, and helping eachother step outside our comfort zone and into a level of elevation in our faith. You almost have to be selfish: yes, you want all of the people you care about to know God and to seek his presence. But bottom line- no one can get you to God but yourself. they can't save you! so why worry about if they approve, if they care that you praise God?? encourage them to live for God, i'm not saying not to usher in new spirits to God. but if they are hindering you from getting to a place where you know God wants you to be, then you owe yourself, you owe God to cut them out until you get yourself together. idk.. may sound like a lot of rambling to some of you but honestly i feel like no one is being real about the problem.. and that is that we are losing a generation- my generation! we are losing ourselves to this culture, and we are all guilty of conforming to a certain extent. but im saying we don't have to. if you're going to conform to anything, why not let it be God??!! he's right there!! He waiting for you to realize that..

Idk, but seven was preaching. ~Genesis 3: 1-13 (*also refer to Eph.6:12 & Rm. 14:13)

A)a lot of times we dont recognize the enemy bc we are so busy fighting amongst ourselves.B)even when u pray, u are still going to have to fight the enemy. C)*What happens when u cant recognize/dont notice the enemy?? -> the devil comes to u in a subtle way(recall frog-n-pot scenario) - the devil gon keep turnin up the temp little by little, getting u to sin until u explode(like the frog in water) E)*Dont allow the devil to work the word4 ur will& ur wants-> hell take da word& twist it; uses it as a crutch2 continue sinning. F)people follow more by lifestyle than they do by instruction: when u get so caught up in ur sin u are causing others2 sin2. G) dont allow devil2 allow u2 play "holy hide&seek"->how can u hide 4rm God? U cant. But how many times do we try2? We get2 scared2 pray or glorify him etc. H)a&e's sin, YOUR sin will cause u2 lose dat 1on1 connect wit God->ur pushing urself away 4rm Gods presence(a&e tried2 cover up their"mess up"wit fig leaves) i) we try2 cover up our mistakes &we begin2 play...we begin 2 play the blame game instead of owning up to our mistakes. J) you will reap what u sow: don't go around thinking u can just keep sinning & God just gon forgive u. He will forgive u but that dont mean there arent consequences 4  your actions (ex: if u kill someone& u repent to God sincerely yea he will forgive u but that dont mean u not still finna go2 jail! Last thing: ** don't be a sucker to his (the devil) subtlety!

The Difference

 I saw this poem at the hair salon, so like a good stantonian i googled it! idk who the author is

The Difference

I got up early one morning

and rushed right into

the day; I had so much

to accomplish, that I

didn't have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled

about me; and heavier

came each task.

"why doesn't God help me?"

I wondered. He answered,

"You didn't ask."

I wanted to see joy and beauty,

but the day toiled on,

gray and bleak; I wondered

"why didn't God show me?"

He said, "but you didn't seek."

I tried to come into God's presence,

I used all my keys at the lock.

God gently and lovingly chided,

"my child, you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning,

and paused before entering

the day; I had so much to

accomplish that I had to

take time to pray.

* the scripture Philipians 4:6 says "Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."