From “In the Beginning” to Amen // Introduction to the Bible
Translation Philosophies of Different Bibles
Formal
Functional
Dynamic
Paraphrase
Formal Translation - The motto for this is “as literal as possible, as free as necessary.”
· There is usually some indication of the form/structure of the underlying Hebrew and Greek.
· Keeps Hebrew/Greek metaphors and idioms intact, which means even if the saying is dead or non-relevant, it will stay as is.
Examples: KJV, NKJV, ESV
Functional - The motto here is “translate the meaning.”
· The focus is to get to the meaning of the text, which means it will naturally step closer to interpretation of unclear passages.
· It’s usually easier to read and follow.
· It captures thoughts and phrases in a more concise way.
Examples: NIV, CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Dynamic - The motto is “translate for readability and accessibility.”
· It is highly readable.
· Modernizes dead metaphors and idioms so we can try to understand what they actually mean.
· It is more theologically accessible.
· A step further into interpretation.
Examples: NLT, Amplified
Paraphrase
· A Retelling: It's a retelling of the biblical message from a modern perspective, not a literal rendering
· Easy to Read: Designed for accessibility, it reads at a much lower grade level, making it popular for first-time Bible readers.
· Interpretive: It offers an interpretation of the text, which can differ from other versions.
· Good for Overview: Useful for getting a feel for familiar passages in a fresh way.
Examples: Message, Passion
The Layout of the Bible - Old Testament
· The Bible is the historical account of God’s creation, pursuit of, and engagement with mankind through a specific lineage.
· The traditional layout has books of the Bible in groupings by type of literature.
· Historical, Law, Wisdom/Poetic, Prophetic
· The Chronological version puts it in the order of events and God’s interaction and man’s response throughout the historical narrative.
Advent // Love
John 3:16-17 (NIV)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Love That Was Given for The Liberty of The Human Heart.
What A Gift That Comes with God’s Love!! … No Condemnation
John 3:18-22 (ESV)
“…But whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
But We Weren’t Designed to Live in Darkness
Love is The Longing of The Human Heart
Of every individual…
We are created first and foremost to know the love of God…
But mankind has chosen differently from God’s desire and design…
John 1:11-12 (NIV)
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 3:16 (NIV)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
We see this about God’s love…
SO LOVED - His love is INTENSE
HE GAVE - His love is GENEROUS
HIS ONE AND ONLY SON - His love is INTENTIONAL
WHOSOEVER - His love is INCLUSIVE
WOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE - His love is GRACIOUS
His love is Intense, Generous, Intentional, Inclusive, and Gracious
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NLT)
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-9 (NLT)
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us…
For once, you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So, live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.”
This Christmas, May We Again Experience The:
Intense… Generous… Intentional… Inclusive… And Gracious… Love of God
May We Love as We Have Been Loved
May The Light of Love Illuminate Our Hearts and Shape the Way We Live
May We Live and Love with Intentionality
May Our Lives Be the Light in a Darkening World, The Warmth of a Fire in a World That Grows Colder…
May We Neither Live nor Love in Vain…
Advent // Joy
The word for Joy is the Greek word “Chara - Khar-ah,” meaning calm delight or cheerfulness, or “Chairo - Khah-ee-ro,” meaning to be calmly happy or well-off.
Philippians 4:4 (KJV)
"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice."
Matthew 2:1-18 (NLT)
“Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.’ King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, ‘Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?’ ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they said, ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, ‘Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!’ After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,’ the angel said. ‘Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.’ That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: ‘I called my Son out of Egypt.’ Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: a cry was heard in Ramah—weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.”
On a day when we announce good news of great joy. It doesn’t sound very joyful…
It is because of the Nature of this Joy.
This is a Joy that is Stronger and Deeper than our Sorrows;
A Joy that Cannot be Quenched by the Tragedies of Life;
A Joy that can Sustain those who Suffer Great Loss.
A Joy that Shines in the Darkness...
Whatever the circumstances of our world and our lives, the message given to Joseph by the angel is true, and it’s a message of joy—“Give him the name Jesus, because He will save His People from Their sins.”
The Joy of Christmas is not just the Joy of personal salvation; it’s the Joy of being part of something bigger, grander, and greater—it’s the Joy of being able to participate in and cooperate with Christ in the coming and establishing of God’s kingdom.
It’s in our coming together, it’s in our unity of heart and purpose, it’s in our giving and serving, it’s in our intentionality in the midst of our community.
It’s the Joy of living out of all that we are blessed with to be a blessing to others.
It’s the Joy of being a participant in the message of salvation to the world.
Joy to the World
Advent // Peace
Our Whole Existence is Ravaged by Conflict
It's in Our World...
It's in Our Nations...
It's in Our Cities...
It's in Our Communities...
It's in Our Homes...
It's in Our Hearts and Our Minds...
Peace Means So Many Different Things to Different People
Peace May Be Ease from Conflict...
Peace May Be Ease from Noise...
Peace May Be Ease from Torment...
Peace May Be Ease from Busyness...
Peace May Be Ease from Pain...
For Some People It May Be Found in A Treaty…
For Some It May Be Found in a Place…
For Some It May Be Found in An Embrace…
For Some It Is Found in a Symbol…
For Some It Is Found in Solace…
For Some It Is Found in A Smile…
Some Think It Is Accomplished by Negotiation...
Some Think It Is Accomplished by Meditation...
Some Think It Is Accomplished by Separation...
Some Think It Is Accomplished by Location...
Some Think It Is Accomplished by Reconciliation...
Some Think It Is Accomplished by Medication...
But for Most of Our World it Remains an Elusive State of Being...
God Has Come, and He Has Provided a Lasting Peace for Us! Not Just a Fleeting Moment or an Elusive Dream...
Romans 5:1 (NIV)
“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
God Loved Us So Much that He Sent His Son to Redeem Mankind and Restore Our Peace with Him.
Judges 6:23-24 (NIV)
“But the Lord said to him, ‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’ So, Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace.”
2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”
Advent // Faith and Hope
Hebrews 11:1 (NASB)
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Faith in Greek = Pistis
Conviction (sure confidence and fervor) of the truth
Hope in Greek =Elpis
Joyful and confident expectation of good
Counterfeit Aims of Hope
Hebrews 13:14 (ESV)
“For here, we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.”
Past Hope Fulfilled in Christ
1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000 Chance
Future Hope, Found in Christ
Hebrews 11:1-2 (MSG)
“The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.”
Online notes only, NO slide
Jesus Promised:
John 14:3 - He is coming back
John 14:2 - He is preparing a place for us
John 6:39 - He’ll raise the dead
Matthew 28:20 - He’ll always be with us
Acts 1:8 - He’ll fill us with power from the Holy Spirit
Matthew 16:27 - He’ll judge all people
Matthew 5:12 - He’ll reward the faithful
John 14:19 - We will live forever, because he lives forever
Matthew 16:18 - He’ll keep building his church, and hell won’t be able to prevail against it
Matthew 19:28 - He’ll make all things new
Matthew 24:14 - His gospel will be preached to the whole world, and then the end will come
Hebrews 10:23 (ESV)
“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
Hebrews 10:24 (ESV)
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”
Gratitude Week 4 // Gratitude is a Choice
Gratitude is a Choice
Gratitude is a Disposition
Romans 1:20-22 (NIV)
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.”
2 Corinthians 4:4, 6-11, 16-18 (NIV)
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God… For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body… Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Gratitude Doesn’t Depend on Circumstances, but it Determines How We See Circumstances…
Psalm 136 (NIV)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever. the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.
to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.
to him who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.
and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.
Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.
and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
an inheritance to his servant Israel.
His love endures forever.
He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
He gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.
It Starts as a Practice, that Becomes a Discipline, that Becomes a Lifestyle.
Gratitude Week 3 // A Lifestyle of Gratitude
Hebrews 12:28
NIV
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe…”
AMP
“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe…”
KJV
“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear…”
Greek Word “Charis” - A Manner of… A Lifestyle of… or A State of… according to the divine influence on the heart and its reflection in the life…
The word most often used for Thankfulness is “Eucharistio” - A word or an action of thankfulness…
Luke 17:11-19 (NLT)
“As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” He looked at them and said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God!’ He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’ And Jesus said to the man, ‘Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.’”
The Way We Respond is the Difference Between “Thanks for the Blessing” and “I Owe You My Everything”.
Gratitude Week 2 // Life-Giving Gratitude
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable---if anything is excellent or praiseworthy---think about such things.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“Life is not lost by dying it is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day in all the thousand small uncaring ways.” Stephen Vincent Bennett
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.” Ferris Bueller
James 1:17 (NIV)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
“We are perishing for want of wonder rather than want of wonders.” G K Chesterton
“Be happy in the moment. Each moment is all we need, not more.” Mother Theresa
James 3:6 (NIV)
“The tongue also is a fire… it sets the whole course of one’s life on fire.”
Ephesians 4:29 (KJV)
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying (building up), that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Philippians 2:14-16 (ESV)
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.”
Philippians 2:15 (MSG)
“Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night.”
Maya Angelou, a well-known American writer and activist, once said, “If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude about it - what you say matters.”
Seek Life, See Life and Be Life!!!
Live in Gratitude.
Gratitude Week 1
Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:3-5 (NLT)
“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.”
Philippians 1:17-18 (NLT)
“Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.”
Philippians 2:17-18 (NLT)
“But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy.”
Philippians 3:1 (NLT)
“Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.”
Philippians 4:4 (NLT)
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!”
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)
“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you, by worrying, add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)
“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Need - Thanks That You are Jehovah Jireh - Provider
Sickness - Thanks That You are Jehovah- Rophe - Healer
Need Guidance - Thanks That You are Jehovah-Rohi - Shepherd
Overwhelmed, Under Assault - Thanks That You are Jehovah-Sabaoth - Lord of Hosts
Vulnerable
Psalm 18:1-3 (NLT)
“I love you, Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise.”
Philippians 4:7 (NLT)
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:8 (NLT)
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
The Heart Series Week 4
Living Out of the Restored or Renewed Heart
Lives That Are Salt and Light
Living Illustrations of Godlikeness and Godliness
Restored Hearts… Leading to Restored Lives… Leading to Restored Families… Leading to Restored Communities… Leading to Restored Nations…
Jeremiah 29:4-7 (NIV)
“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV)
“As much as you have the opportunity, do good to all.”
1Peter 2:11-17 (NIV)
“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”
John 10:10 (NIV)
“I have come that you might have life and have it to the full - abundantly!”
October 19th, 2025 // Pastor Tim Lovell
The Heart Series Week 3
Last couple of weeks…
God Who Knows the Human Heart
God Who Contends with the Human Heart
God Who Restores the Human Heart
Ezekiel 36:22-23 (MSG)
“Therefore, tell Israel, ‘Here is the Message of God, the Master: I’m not doing this for you, Israel. I’m
doing it for me, to save my character, my holy name, which you’ve blackened in every country where
you’ve gone. I’m going to put my great and holy name on display, the name that has been ruined in
so many countries, the name that you blackened wherever you went. Then the nations will realize
who I really am, that I am God, when I show my holiness through you so that they can see it with
their own eyes.”
Romans 7:14-25 (MSG)
“What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I
absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it
becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary: But I need something more! For if I know the
law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I
obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to
do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway: My decisions, such as
they are; don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of
me every time. It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is
there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins
in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried
everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for
me? Isn’t that the real question?” The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted
to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind,
but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.”
Ezekiel 36:24-28 (MSG)
“‘For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all
over, and bring you back to your own land. I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give
you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it
with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to
do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors.
You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God!”Mark 7:21-23 (NIV)
“For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these
vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
”
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about
such things.”
Colossians 3:1-4 (NLT)
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where
Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things
of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who
is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”
Luke 6:45 (NKJV)
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil
treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
Hebrews 3:12-15 (NIV)
“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from
the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may
be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the
confidence we had at first. As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your
hearts as you did in the rebellion."
Ephesians 1:17-19 (NKJV)
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may
know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working
of His mighty power.”
Hebrews 13:12 (NLT)
“Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and
unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is
still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are
faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that
belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts
as Israel did when they rebelled.”
The Heart Series Week 2
God Who Contends with the Human Heart
Jeremiah 17:9-10 (MSG)
“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.”
Johari Window
Psalms 10:4 (NIV)
”In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”
Mark 7:6-8 (NIV)
“You hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.’"
God Wants to Work In The Whole of Our Hearts, and It Can Mean Facing Some Tough Things. He May Need to Challenge and Change Some Areas…
Where Can I Go from Your Presence?
Psalms 139:1-18 (NIV)
“You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.”
Luke 16:15 (NIV)
”You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight."
Psalms 26:2 (NIV)
“Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind.”
Psalms 139:23-24 (BSB)
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.”
1 John 3:20 (BSB)
“Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things.”
Prayer of Confession
“Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We have not walked in your ways
and have chosen what seems good and right in our own eyes
we are truly sorry, and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us.
That we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.”
The Heart Series Week 1
Often, the description associated with the heart describes a season we are in or a condition we are living in.
Look at some of These Words Associated with the Heart:
Kind Hearted
Open Hearted
Warm Hearted
Wholehearted
Heart Felt
Heart Sick
Heart Wrenching
Broken Hearted
Heavy Hearted
Hard Hearted
Cold Hearted
Disheartened
Faint Hearted
Wounded Heart
God Sees the Heart and Knows Us at the Center of Who We Are, or The Season We Are In.
He is Willing to Meet Us There and Let Us Know that We are Known.
He is Not Content that We Remain Hurting, Sick, Broken, Hidden, etc.
God Doesn’t Look at What We Look at; He Looks at the Heart.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 (MSG)
“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.”
Exodus 34:6 (ESV)
“The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…”
He Walks with Us on this Journey So We Can Walk with Others.
He Doesn’t Want Us to Remain in Hiding. We Can Journey with Others into Freedom and Into the Light.
Seasons Don’t Have to Define Us
Experiences Don’t Have to Hold Us
Feelings Don’t Have to Hold Us Fast
God Knows
God Contends
God Restores
God is a God of Hope and a Future, Not Just Our Past.
No notes
Pillars and Practices // Celebrating and Remembering
Romans 12:15 (ESV)
“Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”
To Do this Requires a Willingness to Enter Intimacy and Connectedness.
Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV)
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Celebrating and Remembering Go Hand in Hand
Psalm 103:1-18, 22 (NLT)
A Psalm of David
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
The Lord gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children
of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!
Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
Pillars and Practices // Connect and Engage
Here are two simple reasons to stop and think about our own connectedness within the church family:
1. Connecting to the Community Puts Us in a Place to Love and be Loved
1 Corinthians 12:31 (CSB)
“And I will show you an even better way.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (CSB)
“Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.”
Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
2. Connecting to the Body of Christ is Essential to Living. Scripture Reveals to Us that We are Better Together than if We Stay Disconnected.
1 Corinthians 12:12-18 (NLT)
“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with
the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”
Steps to Connecting
Be Pleasant
Be Approachable
Find Common Interests
Be Willing to Learn
Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak and Slow to Become Angry
Practice Being Loving
Enemies of Connecting
Pride
Insecurity
Fear
Criticism
Divisiveness
Our Own Echo Chambers of Agreement that Pit Us Against Others Who Think Differently.
Jesus is Still Our Hope.
Pillars and Practices // Give and Serve
GIVING IS ABOUT AUTHORITY
Deuteronomy 8:18 (ESV)
“You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”
Proverbs 3:9-10 (ESV)
“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
GIVING IS ABOUT OBEDIENCE
Luke 6:38 (NIV)
“Give and it will be given to you.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (NIV)
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
GIVING IS ABOUT PRIORITIES
Proverbs 11:24–25 (NIV)
“One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
2 Corinthians 9:6–8 (ESV)
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
GIVING IS A VALUES ISSUE
Malachi 3:8–12 (NLT)
“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”
Matthew 6:19–21 (ESV)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Our heart motive matters more than money. The story of The Widow’s Offering (Mark 12:41-44) illustrates God’s hope for our motivation toward generosity.
GIVING IS A TRUST ISSUE
Matthew 6:26-33 (ESV)
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Luke 6:38 (TLB)
“If you give, you will get! Your gift will return to you in full and overflowing measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use to give–large or small–will be used to measure what is given back to you.”
GIVING IS ABOUT GOD’S KINGDOM ADVANCING
1 Corinthians 16:2 (ESV)
“On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”
SERVING IS THE SAME IN MANY WAYS - Generosity with our Time and Talents
As we give of ourselves, we get our eyes off ourselves.
We become less aware of our own needs as we serve others.
Finding Personal Fulfillment in Giving
You are never more like Jesus than when you serve and give. Matthew 20:28 says, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Will We Allow God to Have Authority?
Pillars and Practices // Praise, Worship, and Prayer
Both Praise and Worship are in Part:
Reverence (Awe)
Recognition (Awareness)
Revelation (Awakening)
Response (Action)
Hebrew Words
Yadah
Psalm 44:8 (NIV)
“In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise (yâdâh) your name forever.”
Towdah
Psalm 56:11-12 (NKJV)
“In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?...I will render praises (tôwdâh) to you.”
Zamar - To make music. To celebrate in song and music. To touch the strings.
Psalm 144:9 (NKJV)
“I will sing a new song to You, O God; On a harp of ten strings, I will sing praises (zâmar) to You.”
Psalm 21:13 (KJV)
“Be exalted O Lord, in Thine own strength, so will we sing and praise (zâmar) thy power.”
Barak - To kneel. To bow down. To salute. To thank.
Psalm 103:1 (NIV)
“Praise (bârak) the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name.”
Shabach - To address in a loud tone. To shout. To commend, glory, and triumph.
Psalm 145:4 (NKJV)
“One generation shall praise (shâbach) your works to another.”
1 Samuel 4:5 (NLT)
“When all the Israelites saw the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord coming into the camp, their shout of joy praise (shâbach) was so loud it made the ground shake!
Tehillah - Derived from the word halal and means "the singing of halals, to sing or to laud; perceived to involve music, especially singing; hymns of the Spirit or praise.
Psalm 22:3 (NASB)
“Yet you are holy, and you are enthroned upon the praises (tehillah) of Israel.”
Isaiah 61:3 (NASB)
“To grant to those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The garment of praise (tehillah) instead of the spirit of heaviness, So they shall be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Halal - Means "to be clear, to praise, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish."
Psalm 113:1-3 (NKJV)
“Praise (hallal) the Lord, praise (hallal) all you servants of the Lord, praise (hallal) the name of the Lord.”
Psalm 150:1 (AMP)
“Praise (hallal) the Lord! Praise (hallal) God in His sanctuary; Praise (hallal) Him in His mighty heavens.”
Psalm 149:3 (NKJV)
“Let them praise (hallal) His name in the dance: let them sing praises with the timbrel and harp.”
The Hebrew word most often translated as worship is Shachah - to bow down or to be prostrate; it’s used over 170 times in the Old Testament.
Exodus 34:8 (NIV)
“Moses bowed down and worshipped.”
The Greek word most often translated as worship is Proskuneo
Matthew 28:9 (NKJV)
“And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him.”
John 4:24 (NKJV)
“God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Revelation 5:14 (NKJV)
“Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever.”
These are Biblical, not just cultural or denominational, and they all have their place and time.
As much as a people of Praise and Worship, we need to be a People of Prayer.
Prayer as an Expression of Worship:
An Expression of Worth
Of Reverence
Of Gratitude
Of Dependence
Of Expectation
Lord Teaches Us How to Pray:
Our Father in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us what we need for today (our daily bread)
Forgive us as we also forgive others (submission to God’s work in me and through me)
Lead us not into temptation/testing (lead us from temptation)
But deliver us from the evil one
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication
Types of Prayer:
In the moment - Nehemiah 2:4-5
Extended - Daniel 10 - 21 days
Prayer with fasting - focus and prioritizing
What about tongues?? Read 1 Cor 14:1-19
Prayer is Both Individual and Communal or Interpersonal:
When you pray, go into Private Space
Pray for One Another, Bear One Another’s Burdens
This Tuesday Night and every first Tuesday, Prayer Night - Cards Available
Pillars and Practices // Gather Together and Participate
Hebrews 10:23-25 (NLT)
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
Galatians 5:20-21 (NIV)
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”