Deepening Relationships

Part I

“Your Walk with the Holy Spirit”

The Holy Spirit is the presence of God in our lives, carrying on the work

of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit helps us in three directions: 

inwardly (by granting us the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5:22-24),

upwardly (by praying for us, Rom. 8:26),

and outwardly (by pouring God’s love into our hearts, Rom. 5:5),

which is done when we pour the word of God into our minds.

So how does one get filled with the Spirit?  How can I know

that my relationship with the Holy Spirit is growing and maturing?

“And do not be drunk with wine, wherein is excess;

but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18) 

To be filled with something, therefore means to be under its control. 

This is so very true when it comes to power and control of the Holy Spirit

in our daily lives.

I. Who’s got the ____________________ in your life?

A. Romans 8:13-17

B. “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap

      corruption;  but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit

      reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:8)

C.  I Thessalonians 4:3-7

D.  Remember our bodies are the “Temple of the Holy Spirit.”

II. Are we ____________________ the Holy Spirit?

A.  “Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are sealed unto the

        day of redemption.”  (Ephesians 4:30)

B.  “Quench not the Spirit.” (I Thessalonians 5:19)

C.  “Don’t resist the Holy Spirit’s desire to have a relationship with

        you.” (Acts 7:51)

Weekly Bible Study

January 5th - January 10th

“Greed”

Monday:            Don’t be greedy for money                                   I Peter 5:1-2            

Tuesday:            Don’t be greedy for what you don’t have              Luke 12:1-15

Wednesday:      Greed harms others                                               Psalm 52:1-7

Thursday:          Greed leads to selfishness                                      Jeremiah 22:1-17

Friday:              Greed angers God                                                 Isaiah 57:1-17

Saturday:           Greed is never satisfied                                          Proverbs 21:20-26

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The Gift of Joy- Part IV

I Thessalonians 5:16

“Rejoice Evermore!”

What keeps me from seeking joy as a gift?

The bad that shouldn’t happen.

The good that doesn’t happen

How do I choose joy?

I.  Choose to hear the Good News

A. Luke 2:10 “And the angel said unto them, “Fear not for behold, I bring

      you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

B. Romans 1:16 – The gospel means good news!

C. James 1:2-3

D.  Hebrews 10:34

II.  Choose to Do What God commands.

A.  Luke 2:15 “And it came to pass as the angels were gone away from

      them into heaven the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go

      even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass which

      the Lord has made known unto us.”

B. Psalm 19:8 “The statutes of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

      The commands of the Lord are pure enlightening the eyes.”

C. Psalm 97:11 “Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright

      in heart.”

D. John 16:24 “You have asked nothing in my name, ask and you shall

      receive, that your JOY may be full.”

III. Choose to tell others the Good News.

A. Luke 2:17 “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the

      sayings which were told them concerning the child.”

B.  Luke 15:7 –Heaven is a place where there is great joy all the time

C. Philippians 4:4 - Let our hearts meditate on this admonition from

      Paul  “Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say Rejoice.”

Weekly Bible Study

December 29th - January 2nd

“Trustworthy”

Monday:           Be trustworthy with worldly wealth                      Luke 16:1-11

Tuesday:           Everything God does is worthy of trust                Psalm 33:1-4

Wednesday:      God is trustworthy                                              II Chronicles 6:4,14,15

Thursday:          In God we trust                                                  Psalm 56:1-11

Friday:              Guard what God has entrusted to you                 I Timothy 6:10-20

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The Gift Series Part III

God’s Gift of Strength for You

Psalm 29

“We Desperately need God’s Strength, Joy, and Peace!”

I. We need God’s strength, joy and peace to get us through what we can

       not get through on our own. 

A.  “These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might

        have peace.  In this world, you shall have tribulation, but be

        of good cheer.  I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

Jesus said there are two things you will need in the midst of pain and

suffering:

1.  Peace

2.  Courage

II. We need God’s power to avoid doing what we know we should not do.

A.  The problem as I see it is that we already know what we need

      to do.  It’s finding the spiritual willpower to do it.  (I Cor. 10:13)

III.  So we can do what we know we should do, here are five steps that

       come right out of the Bible that will help us time after time when

       we feel powerless and need a healthy dose of God’s strength.

1.  Affirm God’s power and his presence.

2.  Admit your own weakness.  (II Cor. 12:9)

3.  Align yourself with God’s will.  (John 15:5)

4.  Ask God for the power that you need.  (James 4:2)

5.  Act right now out of obedience to God.