Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Keep Praying
I encourage you to keep praying for the people in Newtown, and Sandy Hook Elementary School today. As Christians and as a nation we need to pray for our neighbors and help them in a very distressing time.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Dating Sermon Notes
I want to begin with a
question.
“What is God’s purpose for
you regarding marriage?”
In
our society today, there is a great deal of damage that we are doing to
marriage by the way that we handle dating.
I believe that dating today is divorce practice.
Does
the Scripture Give Direction About
Who To Marry?
The Bible will not tell you the name and hair color of
your future spouse, but it does give direction.
Do Not Be Unequally
Yoked. (2 Corinthians 6:14)
Do Not Marry into Adultery. (Mark 10:1-10 and Mathew 19:1-10)
Do Not Marry a Violent
Person. (Malachi 2:16)
Do Not Marry an
Alcoholic. (Proverbs 23:20-21 and 29-32)
What
Can I Do to Make My
Future Marriage Magnificent?
Be the kind of Christian you
want to be married to in the future.
Be the strong, helpful
person you are looking for in a spouse.
Be the Kind of Person that
will attract the person you are looking for.
Be aware of the family you
will be joining.
Be willing to seek Godly
counsel for your future marriage.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Evangelistic Dating?
What is evangelistic dating? It is dating someone who is not in a close relationship with God in hopes that they will develop a close relationship with God through being with you, the "committed believer."
Here are some problems with the plan of evangelistic dating.
1. When the dating relationship ends so does any relationship with God. I have never seen a person continue at any church that I have ever served in 19 years of ministry through evangelistic dating.
2. When the break up occurs, often there is unrest and difficulties in other relationships in a church or youth group. Unrest destroys the mission of the church in loving each other and reaching the lost.
3. People who are evangelistic daters almost never bring a visitor to church who is of the same sex. There is something really creepy (psychologically unhealthy) about girls who can't make friends with girls and a guy that can't make friends with guys to bring them to Christ.
4. Leading a person to Christ is about loving them unconditionally. That unconditional love is what brings you to the next step. The goal of evangelism is not just getting a person in the church once a week. The goal is a relationship in the family of God. The strings attached to dating make that unconditional love that you must commit to a person to reach and keep them for Christ almost impossible.
5. Finally and foremost! The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers..." That does not mean that we are not friends with or love people outside of our faith family. It means that when we are looking for an close dependable relationship, like a date, spouse, business partner, or roommate, we should find a person who shares our passions and passion for Jesus.
Here are some problems with the plan of evangelistic dating.
1. When the dating relationship ends so does any relationship with God. I have never seen a person continue at any church that I have ever served in 19 years of ministry through evangelistic dating.
2. When the break up occurs, often there is unrest and difficulties in other relationships in a church or youth group. Unrest destroys the mission of the church in loving each other and reaching the lost.
3. People who are evangelistic daters almost never bring a visitor to church who is of the same sex. There is something really creepy (psychologically unhealthy) about girls who can't make friends with girls and a guy that can't make friends with guys to bring them to Christ.
4. Leading a person to Christ is about loving them unconditionally. That unconditional love is what brings you to the next step. The goal of evangelism is not just getting a person in the church once a week. The goal is a relationship in the family of God. The strings attached to dating make that unconditional love that you must commit to a person to reach and keep them for Christ almost impossible.
5. Finally and foremost! The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers..." That does not mean that we are not friends with or love people outside of our faith family. It means that when we are looking for an close dependable relationship, like a date, spouse, business partner, or roommate, we should find a person who shares our passions and passion for Jesus.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Dating for a Divorce
Sunday the message was, "Dating for a Divorce." In our society today, we train for divorce by having dating relationships where people tag their feelings as love. Furthermore, these relationships are often sexually active relationships. Then when something goes wrong, the two break up. So in dating, people learn to fall in love, often being sexually active, and then learn to fall out of love and love someone else very easily.
Today in my regular devotions, I read about King Solomon who was led astray from obeying the Lord by his love for many wives. If Solomon, who was given wisdom and intelligence from God, was led astray by his romantic emotions, what are we up against?
Honestly, I am concerned that people heard the message on dating yesterday and understood it and believe it. But, no one will heed it because people are so quickly and easily led astray by their emotions when they are not daily taking in the Word of God and trusting him.
Today, Stephanie is posting the podcast at www.firstagwashington.org. Go to media and you can listen to the message again. If you did not get an outline, get one Wednesday night, or get it from this blog. I challenge you to read every Scripture in the message for yourself this week. The way to overcome emotions is the Spirit of God and the Word of God.
Today in my regular devotions, I read about King Solomon who was led astray from obeying the Lord by his love for many wives. If Solomon, who was given wisdom and intelligence from God, was led astray by his romantic emotions, what are we up against?
Honestly, I am concerned that people heard the message on dating yesterday and understood it and believe it. But, no one will heed it because people are so quickly and easily led astray by their emotions when they are not daily taking in the Word of God and trusting him.
Today, Stephanie is posting the podcast at www.firstagwashington.org. Go to media and you can listen to the message again. If you did not get an outline, get one Wednesday night, or get it from this blog. I challenge you to read every Scripture in the message for yourself this week. The way to overcome emotions is the Spirit of God and the Word of God.
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