Endurance & Encouragement

Last night at APEX we finished our summer series. The text we applied was Romans 15:4-6

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I believe it’s healthy to pause at the end of a season and reflect on what God is doing in your heart. I asked this question: Will this just be a nice Bible study you attended or something that will be part of an ongoing transformation in your life?

In order to live strong as young adults in 2009 we must have our hope anchored in Christ. We do this through two things: Endurance and the Encouragement of the Scriptures. Everything about our lives is shakeable – people, job, school, finances, possessions, etc. Christ is the only unshakeable foundation that we can set our hope on.

Circumstances have the potential to circumvent your hope, unless that hope is Christ.

Remember this truth: There are no setbacks for the man/woman of God, only stepping stones. When your heart is anchored in Christ, every trial, difficulty, and obstacle can become a stepping stone into God’s greater destiny and purpose.

Keep hoping… in the God of endurance and encouragement.

DS

What Defines Me?

Last night at APEX we dug into an intense passage that is Romans 12:9-21. We talked about the depth of love that God calls us to, commanding us to love even our enemies. Not easy stuff.

Here are some of the points I made:

• When we love others Biblically it reveals what God is like (John 13:34-35)
• When we love other Biblically it reveals where our hope lies (I Peter 2:21-23)
• Instead of getting even we must learn to ‘entrust’ ourselves and our circumstances to God
• Christianity is not about completing a ‘to-do’ list in order to appease God. Our deeds must be done in dependence on the finished work of the cross
• In order to love others consistently, I need to see Christ consistently
• If I were to ask those closest to you, “What is (fill in your name) defined by?” What would they say?
• May we be defined by the radical, selfless, crazy love of Christ

Be a Grace Giver

Last night we continued in our “Fashionable” Series, looking at Romans 12:3-8. The topic was “Use Your Gift”. Here are some of the statements I made concerning spiritual gifts:

• All gifts & abilities are evidences of God’s grace
• Without thinking lowly of ourselves, we will misuse God’s gifts in jealousy, envy, & competition
• We each have a measure of faith and a differing grace from God. This is to keep us trusting Him for the use of our gift.
• Spiritual Gift: Exercising God’s gift to serve God’s people with a dependence on God’s power
• Spiritual Gift: Doing anything that strengthens the faith of another person
• There are gifts of speech and gifts of deed
• Using speech as a spiritual gift: speak in a way that makes Christ look great. Draw attention to Christ, not yourself.
  
• Using deeds as a spiritual gift: do what you do in the strength that God supplies. Ask Him to enable your action.
• Since our gifts are an expression of God’s grace, what if we viewed our day as an opportunity to be a “Grace Giver”?

The Will of God

Last night we began our “Fashionable” series, starting with Romans 12:1-2:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).

This was my main thought: The will of God is more about WHO you are than WHAT you do.

So often we obsess over the details of WHAT God wants us to do that we neglect WHO we are becoming according to His Word.

Sometimes God speaks to our hearts and tells us what to do, where to go, what job to take. Other times, according to Romans 12, we are to make decisions based off a renewed mind. We are to discern what the will of God is in all situations because we are daily offering ourselves to God in surrender, not being conformed to this world, and having our minds renewed according to Scripture.

Here are some one-liner helps. Hope they are a help!

• Make decisions based off a renewed mind
• Knowing the will of God is developed from a lifestyle, not always a moment
• Don’t use prayer as an excuse for doing nothing
• There is something I can do now as I get to where I am going
• Focus your life on principles of Scripture

Any thoughts?