Praying Daily for the Leaders
I Thessalonians 5:12-22
Paul shares three ways for the church family to come together and
support the work of the Lord:
I. Respect those who work hard, who lead, and admonish us.
A. Hebrews 13:7,17
B. I Corinthians 16:13-16
C. I Timothy 5:17-18
D. James 5:19-20
II. We support the ministries of the church by encouraging the idol to get to work. vs. 14
A. I Corinthians 12:14, 18-22, 25-27
B. “From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love, as each
part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:16)
III. We support the ministries of the church by never quenching
the spirit. vs. 19 “Quench not the spirit.”
A. Pep up, pray up, participate and promote!
B. “Learn to support your church in a manner that will evoke warm
church memories when you look back in years to come. Warm
church memories are just that - treasured recollections of
spiritually rich times.” People of Promise book
Weekly Bible Study
December 1st to December 6th
“Humility”
Monday: Be clothed with humility Col. 3:12, I Peter 5:5-6
Tuesday: Be compassionate and humble I Peter 3:1-8
Wednesday: Consider others before yourself Philippians 2:1-3
Thursday: God saves the humble Job 5:1-11
Friday: The humble will be exalted Matthew 23:1-12
Saturday: Humble yourself before the Lord James 4:1-10
Genesis 50:15-21
Throughout the scriptures God commands that we love one another.
A. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:39)
B. Love the Lord with all of your heart, mind, and soul. (Matthew 22:37)
C. Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them.
(Ephesians 5:25)
D. Love your enemies and be not bitter against them. (Matthew 5:44)
By looking at the life and behavioral pattern of Joseph we see how he made
his family a priority by focusing on:
I. Forgiveness - not revenge.
A. Joseph never said, “I will get even.”
B. Notice he wept, he spoke tenderly to them. vs. 17, 21
C. Notice his promise to them. vs. 21
“I will provide for you and your children.”
D. There may be those here today who need some feelings of hate
and revenge transformed into feelings of hope and forgiveness.
E. “Create in me a clean heart Oh God and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
II. Joseph made his family a priority by focusing on God’s plan - not his or their plan.
A. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
What are “all things”?
1. The ability to love your family unconditionally.
2. Patience with family members.
3. Hope for your family.
4. Ability to forgive and move on with your life.
5. Your material, physical and spiritual needs.
III. Joseph made his family a priority by focusing on the present and future not the past. vs. 21
A. It’s time today for many within our church family to press on.
(Philippians 3:13, Ephesians 2:14-16)
B. Love is a decision, so is forgiveness.
C. It’s time to rekindle some love in the home, marriage, church.
D. Don’t wait for your feelings to change - ACT NOW!
Weekly Bible Study
November 24th - 29th
“Redemption”
Monday: Christ redeemed man by blood sacrifice Gal. 3:13, Heb. 9:12
Tuesday: Redeemed from bondage of law Gal. 4:1-3
Wednesday: Redeemed from sin Titus 2:14
Thursday: Redeemed from evil world Gal. 1:13-15
Friday: Heavenly destiny of the redeemed Rev. 7:9-17
Saturday: Redemption brings us into God’s family Gal. 4:4-5
There are two types of people in the world:
I. Those who are never grateful to God.
A. These are the atheists.
B. The skeptic or agnostic.
C. The forgetful person will fail to say thanks.
D. The greedy person is so consumed by his own selfish - self interest.
(I Timothy 6:6-11)
II. Those who understand the essentiality of not only being thankful
but saying thank you.
A. Notice the sequence of events. (Luke 17:15-18)
B. Grateful people know from whom all blessings flow.
(Genesis 8:15-22)
1. Grateful people feel dependent on God. (Genesis 22)
2. Paul says in Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all
things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.”
3. “And we know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called according
to His purpose.” (Romans 9:28)
C. Grateful people remember what God has done for them.
1. Paul writes, “I thank God upon every remembrance of you.”
Without remembering there is no thanksgiving. (Phil. 1:3)
Weekly Bible Study
November 17th - 22nd
“Blessings from God ”
Monday: God arms me with strength Psalm 18:32, 144:1
Tuesday: God will not permit the godly to slip Psalm 55:20-22
Wednesday: God takes care of His own Psalm 37:1-17
Thursday: We will run and not grow weary Isaiah 40: 29-31
Friday: God will uphold you Isaiah 41:1-10
Saturday: God renews my strength Psalm 23:1-3,
Psalm 29:1-11
“He always goes good on His promises!”
I. Jesus promised never to forsake His people. (Hebrews 13:5-6)
II. Jesus is my choice for leader because He is consistent.
(Hebrews 13:8)
A. Isn’t it comforting to know that the same Jesus we read of in the
scriptures remains the same today, tomorrow and forever?
B. Many feel that yesterday’s values and standards of yesterday are
out of date and in need of a cultural “face lift” to better coincide
with today’s changing world.
C. Jesus is still in the business of delivering His people from
Satan’s clutch. “We trust that He will still deliver us.”
(II Corinthians 1:10)
III. Of His candidacy - There will be no end.
(Isaiah 7:14, Daniel 7:14, Daniel 2:44)
A. One day the Leader and King of Kings is coming again, every knee will bow and every tongue will endorse Him.
B. “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, for it is
written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
and every tongue shall confess to God. So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:10-12)
Weekly Bible Study
November 10th - 14th
“Promises ”
Monday: Be careful making promises Proverbs 20:15-25
Tuesday: Faithfulness is required Numbers 30:12
Wednesday: Paul’s promise Acts 18:18
Thursday: Peter’s feeble promise Mark 14:29-31, 66-72
Friday: Promises to God Psalm 76:11
John the Baptist was sent by God to preach and pave the way for Christ’s ministry.
On one such occasion he addressed sin within the nation of Israel. King Herod Antipas
his brother Philip’s wife, as his lover. A classic case of a
John being the preacher and
(Luke 3:19)
John could not be a man of God, a minister of God and ignore the corruption in the land.
So what is the biblical definition of marriage?
I. God Ordained. (Matthew 19:3-6)
II. Marriage was designed for those created male and female. vs. 4
A. “A married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies,
she is released from the law of marriage.”(Romans 7:1)
B. “Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife, loves himself.”
(Ephesians 5:28)
C. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your husband, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives,
and be not bitter against them. (Colossians 3:18-19)
D. One of the most tragic stories in the scriptures takes place around 2065 B.C. (Genesis 18:20-33)
III. Sexual relationships outside of marriage are forbidden by God! (I Corinthians 7:1-2, Hebrews 13:4)
A. “Don’t equally yoke yourself with an unbeliever, what fellowship has light with darkness?” (II Corinthians 6:14)
B. I challenge folks all the time - play by God’s rules, especially when it comes to sexual relations and
you will avoid a lot of unnecessary grief.
C. Paul calls the church to a change of values and beliefs. (I Corinthians 6:9-11)
D. Our children need to see the best example of both mom and dad loving each other and training them in the proper ways.
Weekly Bible Study
Monday: Don’t marry pagans Deuteronomy 7:3-4
Tuesday: Don’t marry an unbeliever II Corinthians 6:14-15
Wednesday: Jesus speaks about divorce Matthew 5:31-32
Thursday: Wife of noble character Proverbs 12:4, 31:10
Friday: Wives submit to husbands in the Lord Ephesians 5:22-28
Saturday: Husbands love your wives as you do yourself Ephesians 5:28-33
Main Objectives
–Bring students into a relationship with Jesus Christ
–Promote deepening spiritual relationships (Maturity)
–Plug into serving the Body of Christ
–Graduate Spirit-Led Missionaries to impact our world
Weekly Bible Study
October 27th to November 1st
“Discernment”
Monday: Be discerning of spirits I John 4:1-6
Tuesday: Importance of discernment Job 12:1-11
Wednesday: Pray for a discerning heart I Kings 3:9, Psalm 119:125
Thursday: Word of God helps us discern Acts 17:11, Hebrews 5:14
Friday: Messiah has discernment Isaiah 11:3-4
Saturday: Lack of discernment leads to problems Psalm 82:5, 92:6
a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
I. People in the Grip of Greed
A. Greedy people have been around since Day 6.
B. Greedy people fall into many sinful traps.
C. Greedy people find it hard to give.
D. Greedy people are never satisfied.
E. Greedy people have a bleak future.
II. Moving From Greed to Generosity
A. Cultivate an attitude of sincere gratitude.
B. Learn from the example of others.
C. Keep eternity in your sights.
Weekly Bible Study
October 20th to October 25th
“Sharing with the Poor”
Monday: Be kind to the less fortunate Psalm 41
Tuesday: Feed Christ’s brothers Matthew 25:35-36
Wednesday: Give a hand to the poor Proverbs 31:15-20
Thursday: Give to those who ask Matthew 5:40-42
Friday: Feed the hungry Isaiah 58:7-10
Saturday: Give generously to those in need Ephesians 4:20-28
In this message, we will identify what I call the “Six Senses of Evangelism.”
I. Sense of Awareness.
A. We must be aware of what the world values.
B. We must be aware of the fact that people are lost.
C. We must be aware of the value of the soul.
(Matthew 16:26-27, Proverbs 11:30)
D. We must be aware of the value of the gospel.
(Romans 1:16-17, James 1:21)
II. Sense of Righteous Indignation
A. A zeal for God’s cause must consume us. (John 2:17)
III. Sense of Compassion
A. Compassion must accompany righteous indignation.
IV. Sense of Urgency
A. The dictionary defines “urgency” as “requiring immediate attention
or action.”
B. The Bible tells us we’re responsible for teaching the lost. (Ezekiel 3:18-21)
V. Sense of Dedication
A. We must be dedicated to winning souls to Christ.
B. We must be dedicated to finding ways to awaken people’s interest in
the gospel.
VI. Sense of Vision
A. We must never loose our vision of leading the world to Christ.
(John 4:35)
B. We must have a sense of direction for our vision.
C. We must be persistent.
Conclusion: When we use our six senses of evangelism, we will be able to fulfill the challenge and command of the Great Commission.
Weekly Bible Study
October 13th to October 18th
“Six Senses for Global Evangelism”
Monday: Sense of Awareness Col. 3:2, John 13:35, Matt. 10:34-39
Tuesday: Sense of Righteous Indignation John 2:17, II Cor. 5:14-15
Wednesday: Sense of Compassion Romans 9:3
Thursday: Sense of Urgency Ezekiel 3:18-21
Friday: Sense of Dedication Romans 10:1, I Peter 3:15
Saturday: Sense of Vision John 4:35, I Corinthians 3:6
Mark 4:30-34
This parable underscores the importance of the little things. We see the church and our gifts not in their present form, but rather in what they can and will become through the blessings of Jesus.
When we take this teaching series, three things will be accomplished:
1. Our faith will be stimulated.
2. We will be encouraged to keep working.
3. Our hope and joy develops.
Jesus conveys three basic principles through this parable.
I. We see the (apparent) insignificance of the immature seed.
A. Satan loves to plant seeds of discouragement by making us feel
inferior.
B. I Peter 2:1-2
C. II Peter 3:18
D. Everyone here today has potential to do mighty acts for God.
(I Corinthians 1:27)
II. We see the vitality of the seed as it begins to germinate and grow.
A. Parable of the Sower. (Matthew 13)
B. I Corinthians 15:58
C. Ephesians 4:11-13
D. It is because of our unbelief and our doubting hearts that we have
been left immobilized spiritually. (Matthew 17:14-20)
E. Remember the ten spies who had no faith?
III. As the mustard seed grew, the future and grandeur of the seed was
apparent. Vs. 32
A. The Kingdom grew in time to cover the world. (Daniel 2:31-45)
“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”
(Isaiah 7:9)
Weekly Bible Study
October 6th to October 11th
“Self - Righteous”
Monday: Get rid of the log in your own eye Matthew 7:1-5
Tuesday: Jesus preached against it Matthew 23:27-28
Wednesday: Be pure in God’s eyes Proverbs 30:1-12
Thursday: Way of the fool seems right Proverbs 12:1-15
Friday: God detests the attitude of the self-righteous Isaiah 65:1-5
Saturday: Holier than thou Luke 18:1-9
“The Empty Tomb”
Part IV
I. The empty tomb is supported by outside sources as well as biblical
A. (Daniel 7:13) (Isaiah 53:5, 7, 10-11)
II. The empty tomb is verified by eyewitness.
A. According to the gospel writers who were eyewitness to Jesus before
and after His resurrection we know:
1. who took His body down from the cross. (Matthew 27:57-60)
2. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. (John 20:14)
3. appeared to Peter, the other apostles, later Thomas.
(Luke 24, John 20)
4. appeared to the men on the road in Emmaus. (Luke 24)
5. appeared to the multitude of over five hundred.
(I Corinthians 15:7)
6. to the preacher at Jerusalem - James. (I Corinthians 15:7)
7. to Paul. (Acts 9:3-6)
8. to Stephen. (Acts 7:55)
9. to the apostle John on the island of Patmos.
(Revelation 1:10-19)
B. There is absolutely nothing in these narratives of Jesus’ death and
burial that should lead anyone to believe they are “cunningly devised
fables” similar to Greek mythology. (II Peter 1:16)
C. The fact that three of the four Gospels were written before A.D. 70.
III. The empty tomb is verified by Christ’s own enemies. (John 19:38-39)
A. Joseph of Arimathea is a highly significant person. He was a wealthy
member of the Sanhedrin and a secret disciple of Jesus.
(Matthew 27:23-24)
B. Isaiah prophesied this would happen six hundred years before it
actually took place. (Isaiah 53:9)
C. J.L. McKinley writes, “If Joseph of Arimathea buried Jesus in his
own tomb, it means that when the disciples began preaching that
Jesus arose from the dead, both friends and enemies of Christianity
could go and investigate for themselves.”
D. The Romans and the Jewish leaders provide great testimony for the
bodily resurrection. (Matthew 28:11-15)
IV. The empty tomb has made us full spiritually. (I Peter 1:3-4)
“Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?”
(Acts 26:8)
Weekly Bible Study
September 29th to October 4th
“Injustice”
Monday: Cursed is anyone who is unjust Deuteronomy 27:1-19
Tuesday: Do not exploit widows or orphans Exodus 22:20-22
Wednesday: Do not oppress foreigners Exodus 22:21
Thursday: Do not twist justice Exodus 23:1-6, Deut. 16:19-20
Friday: Judge neighbors fairly Leviticus 19:1-15
Saturday: Scales and weights must be accurate Leviticus 19:30-36