The Father’s ❤️

Scripture 

“But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22:34-40‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Observation 

1. Everything begins w/ God. Especially relationship.
2. We are created in the image of God. The Imago Dei.
3. God, who is 3-in-1, exists in perfect harmony.
4. The Bible says He is LOVE.

Application 

Let ❤️ Lead

“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:7-8‬ ‭NLT‬

Whose Standard?

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“People think that whatever they do is right, but the Lord judges the reasons for everything they do. Do what is right and fair. The Lord loves that more than sacrifices.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:2-3‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“We justify our actions by appearances; GOD examines our motives. Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to GOD than religious performance.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:2-3‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Whose Values?

As long as we exalt “American Values” over Kingdom Values we will continuously break God’s heart.

• We must remember that while we are “In the world, we are not of it, we’re visiting”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr./Letter From A Birmingham Jail responds Southern Clergy That denounce his actions & tactics

You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative. 

Matthew‬ ‭23:23-24‬ ‭ESV‬

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!”

“Justice makes no sense to the evilminded; those who seek GOD know it inside and out.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭28:5‬ ‭MSG‬‬

What Do We Do?

We can’t all be activists but we can all be active!

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr./Letter From A Birmingham Jail responds Southern Clergy That denounce his actions & tactics

Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.

Micah‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.”

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The Father’s Heart

Isaiah‬ ‭1:13-17‬ ‭MSG‬‬

“Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don’t have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.”

Prayer

Father, break our hearts with the things that break Your heart. Open the eyes of hearts, so we can see what You. Strengthen us, so move toward action, as You would move. In Jesus’ name.

The New You

Scripture

Ephesians‬ ‭4:23-24‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“You must be made new in your hearts and in your thinking. Be that new person who was made to be like God, truly good and pleasing to him.”

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Observation

Colossians‬ ‭3:9-10‬ ‭ESV‬

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledgeafter the image of its creator.”

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2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭NLT‬

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

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Application

Social distancing does not mean social isolation.

1. Growth Groups
2.     Bible Study
3.     Serve on a team
4.     C.L.A.S.S.
• Membership
• Maturity
• Ministry
• Mission

• You can be a “New Christian” with Old Habits
• You got a “New Life” but an Old Mind
• You thought the denomination would save you but it was a band-aid, or band-age, used to cover up sin. But there was no healing in it. No power!!
• Just cause you wear a long dress don’t mean you ain’t a hot mess!
• Talking in tongues, but cussing out your kids!
• Preaching in the pulpit, but won’t talk to your spouse at home.
• Jesus wants to upgrade you, transform your life, make you new, so you can be whole!!

Titus‬ ‭3:4-5‬ ‭GW‬‬

“However, when God our Savior made his kindness and love for humanity appear, he saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain his approval. Instead, because of his mercy he saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal.”

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Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭GW

“Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect.”

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Prayer

I Need A Hero

Romans‬ ‭7:21-25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

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‭‭‬‬OBSERVATION

While the law (Mosaic) identifies sin it is NOT a SOLUTION for or to sin

• The 1st 5 Books of the OT, the Pentateuch, are considered to be The Law of Moses (The Written Law).
• The law also includes “Oral law” which refers to Jewish traditions about how to put the written law into practice

Deuteronomy‬ ‭28:1-6‬ ‭NKJV

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”

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God’s Law, His instructions, His Commandments, were & are to be taken seriously 

• The quality of your life depends on your obedience 
• The welfare of your family depends on your obedience 
• So you embed the law in your heart

• I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you

Joshua‬ ‭1:6-8‬ ‭NLT‬

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

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Progressive faith & progressive obedience go hand-in-hand

Romans‬ ‭7:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.”

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Romans‬ ‭7:8‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“And sin found a way to use that command and make me want all kinds of things that weren’t mine. So sin came to me because of the command. But without the law, sin has no power.”

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You can’t violate a standard that doesn’t exist 

APPLICATION

I need Jesus to live right!

• I need the Word living in me to love right

“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:18-19‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’ ” The man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. When Jesus saw this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:20-24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

• Believing is a start, it’s good, but Belonging to Him is about remaining connected to Him

• “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.” John‬ ‭15:5-8‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Romans‬ ‭8:3‬ ‭NLT

“The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”

PRAYER