I. The joy of God is experienced when we know God as _______________________ .
II. The joy of God is experienced when we know God as _______________________ .
III. The joy of God is experienced when we know God a _______________________ .
IV. The Joyful Life
Verses used:
Psalm 16
Psalm 37:23-26
Matthew 6:31-34
1 Peter 1:13 Our hope is on the revelation of Jesus Christ rather than success, wealth, or even making a difference in the world.
1 Peter 1:14-16 Instead of blindly and uncritically following our cravings, God says we can be holy like He is!
1 Peter 1:17-19 God is the judge, and He has decided He will judge deeds. We cannot allow ourselves to become swept up in whatever morals and mores our society adopts. Rather, Scripture calls us to live as exiles, knowing that one day Christ will come and retake this fallen world. (Matthew 10:22; 1 John 3:13)
Hebrews 5:11 Those Christians who are dull, sluggish, lazy of hearing are spiritual infants who need milk rather than solid food.
14 The mature hear and practice and discern good and evil.
Hebrews 6:1-3 Some were still holding onto the law and not faith in God’s grace.
The resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment are part of the elementary teachings of Christians; yet, most wrongly understand them due to ignorance or wrong teaching. Elementary - basic, rudimentary, fundamental, essential, underlying
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian? 2: Follow Jesus
September 6, 2022 | Sean Finnegan
Following Jesus entails two major aspects:
Reading his words and doing them
Watching his example and imitating him
John 10:24-28 People had various opinions of Jesus. Some believed and others thought he was oppressed by a demon. What do you think? Are you one of his sheep?
Luke 6:46-49 Jesus clearly defines what it means to follow him. If you call him “Lord,” you must also do what he says. Those who hear his words and do not do them are like someone who built a house without a foundation.
What Does It Mean to Be a Christian? 1: Believe the Gospel
August 30, 2022 | Sean Finnegan
Romans 6:23 You can’t earn salvation. It is God’s free gift.
1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Romans 1:16 The gospel is the message we believe for salvation.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Luke 8:12 The devil works to prevent people from understanding and believing the gospel.
The gospel includes three truths:
Acts 3:1-10, 16, 19
Acts 4:7-10, 12, 16-18
Do not speak.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man
John 3:16 For God…
John 3:17 For God…
John 14:6 Jesus said unto him,
Billy Graham story
SPIRITUAL MARKER
1 Samuel 7:3 Forsake your idols; turn back to Yahweh.
1 Samuel 7:10 They obeyed, so Yahweh routed the Philistines.
1 Samuel 7:12 Samuel set up an ebenezer, a spiritual marker, to commemorate this event.
“Ebenezer” is a Hebrew word that literally means “a stone of help”. Stones, altars, and recorded historical events can all be ebenezers that memorialize a time of divine assistance.
God Wants YOU and Is Fighting For YOU
Exo 20:1-6
Idols primarily refer to physical idols/statues that represent false gods. But there are also many other very dangerous idols in life that are not made by human hands.
The Battle—Spiritual Warfare
Eph 6:12-17
God has enabled us for the battle, but we must be prepared. We are not left helpless.
2 Cor 10:4-7
2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:3; Ephesians 2:2, 3; 6:12; 1 Peter 5:8-9; Revelation 12:9 The great deception we all are confronted with is we believe we can do it on our own. “I don’t need help” is the mantra of many.
Proverbs 15:8 God wants to help. He delights in our prayers.
1 Samuel 21:8-15 David knew he needed help.
Psalm 34:1-7, 15-19 The first step in receiving help from God is realizing you need help, and the second step is asking with faith.
Deuteronomy 4:29; Proverbs 8:17 Seek Yahweh, and you will find Him.
2 Chronicles 15:2, 4, 15
Proverbs 15:8 The prayer of the upright is God’s delight.
Matthew 7:7-11 Ask, seek, knock.
Matthew 6:5-15 Jesus provided instruction on how to pray and gave a guideline for daily prayer. The aspects of prayer include – praise for Yahweh (Psalm 106:1), acknowledgement of the coming Kingdom (Acts 24:15-16), request for daily needs (Matthew 6:32-33), receiving and giving forgiveness (1 John 1:7-10; Matthew 6:14-15), help with temptations (1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Peter 2:9), and deliverance from evil.
