Don't Worry... Be Happy!

Rejoice In The Lord Always!

Again... I say it... REJOICE!

In the midst of chaos... God has always revealed Himself in the middle of it all! The Psalmist penned it so eloquently... HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER! (Psalm 136)

Philippians 3:4-9; 4:1-9, 11b-13

We learn here from Paul that there WILL BE times where we feel like we are being attacked! We WILL have times where we feel like we are alone! We ARE going to feel like the bottom has fallen out and we are falling!.... BUT... A SUPERNATURAL Strength is available to those who will HOLD ON to the TRUTH and who will STAND in Faith... no matter what!

Psalm 13:5 ,  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ,  Psalm 40:16

James 1: 2-4 ,  Psalm 30:5 ,  Romans 5:1-4 , Psalm 28:7 ,  Romans 15:13 ,             Psalm 64:9-10

There are have been... there ARE NOW.... and there will be times in life where things HURT, they make us ANGRY, and they discourage/depress us... our CHOICE is how we will react to those times!

REJOICING not only brings us a supernatural peace and strength... it brings Glory and Honor to the One who knows us best and who loves us the MOST!

Rejoice!

Promises to Remember

Do you remember the events of the Morning of 9-11-01?

As we reflect on that day... we definitely should remember the lives of those lost and of those who lost their loved ones too!

Genesis 9:13-15

God made a promise to man and told him that he would NOT forget this promise... EVER.

God's promises are not dependent upon OUR remembrance, but upon HIS. Praise the Lord!

So what did God Promise?

I John 2:25 - Eternal life

James 1:12 - A crown of life

James 2:5 - heir of the kingdom

Hebrews 4:1 - A promise of entering God’s rest

Hebrews 9:15 - A promise of eternal inheritance

II Peter 1:4 - Partakers of the divine nature

II Peter 3:13 - A new place to live

We MUST REMEMBER! ... Our Purpose, Our First Love

Philippians 4:8... THINK ON THESE THINGS! And the God of Peace WILL BE with you!

Re-Positioning!

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12: 2

To Reposition yourself to be where God desires you to be... you must

1. RETHINK the way you look at things

2. REINVENT the way you do things

“Too Many People think that all they can ever be is all that they ever were!” T.D. Jakes

Just like our bodies... we find ourselves OUT OF POSITION. Sometimes its not our fault. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s what happens to us...sometimes it seems like it’s always been that way!

GOD IS IN THE BUSINESS OF  (RE) Positioning!

Romans 8:7 Naturally... the mind is hostile to the things of God!

There are times when God needs to SHIFT or to CHANGE our mind before he will heal our situation!

Before you can realize healing or wholeness in your way of thinking or in your circumstances... you have to be “Re” Positioned!  Proverbs 14:12   Proverbs 12:15

Numbers 22:1-35 – “The Story of Balaam and the Donkey”

We MUST Recognize and Admit that we are NOT positioned properly to begin with. We have to “Re” New our Minds!

Remember... Attitude is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we REACT to it!

We Must be Bold, We Must be Strong, We Must be Courageous. Josh. 1:8   We Must Think on What is RIGHT and Pure – Phil. 4:8 We Must ENDURE Hardship as part of the “Re” Positioning!

“If we do the same thing that we have always done...expecting different results...then we are going to get the same thing we have always gotten before!”

Imitating Jesus

“ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children”

Ephesians 5:1

“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion - it is a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.”

Billy Graham

Ephesians 5:1 – Paul is teaching here that there needs to be a re-ordering of our thinking! Following is NOT telling God... “C’mon God...catch up!”

Olympic Athletes when being interviewed...share that they want to be an example for others to follow and emulate... The BIBLE says that we are to follow and emulate CHRIST! To watch others who do that and to pursue what they have and what they do which is honoring to Christ!

1^st Corinthians 11:1-2 – Again, Paul states that we are to follow his example of what it means to hear and to follow CHRIST!

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1^st Corinthians 15 – Paul again is reminding the church to IMITATE Christ!

1^st John 4:10-11 tells us that God’s LOVE ought to be reflected in us... in how we love each other!

3^rd John – John here is telling us that there are those IN THE CHURCH who have the appearance of Godliness... but are NOT Godly at all! John says...DONT DO as they do... DO as Christ does!

Remember the song...”And they’ll know we are Christians by our love... by our love... yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love...”?

As we IMITATE CHRIST... His love, unconditional love, will begin to flow from us! Not a love that has expectations and conditions and limitations... but one that loves at all times... because He first loved us!

If Christ REALLY lives in me... shouldn’t a CHRISTLIKE me act, sound and BE different?

Go...Be Imitators of Christ!

Treasure Beyond Measure

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession”

Deut. 7:6

“Our Mission is to convey God’s Love…

not a dead God, but a living God, a God of Love!”

Mother Teresa

To Be a LIGHT in the Darkness, to go from discouraged to being ENCOURAGED… we must understand that we are God’s Masterpiece!  Eph. 2:10

The reason you have value is because of what God says about you, not because of what other people say about you.

If God wanted you to be somebody else, you wouldn’t exist. But he wanted you! He made you to be you. Real self-esteem comes from three facts:

God created you.

Jesus died for you.

God’s Spirit lives in you.

The Greek word for “masterpiece” is “poema.” It’s the word we get “poem” from. God says, “You’re my poem. You’re my masterpiece. I don’t want you copying somebody else. I’ve put gifts in you — heart, abilities, personality, and experiences — and I want you to use them.” You have worth because of what God says about you and has done for you.

You’re not just wanted; you’re needed!

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Every person is gifted by God to DO Amazing things!

You have value because God said so!

Because he paid such a large ransom for your life when he sent his Son,

Jesus, to die on the cross for you.

Be An ENCOURAGER!

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all..”

1 Thessalonians 5:14

“Encourage one another! The world already has enough critics!”

Is it not true that people spend more time tearing down than building up?! Imagine a world where people “work at” building each other up!

Barnabas A Prophet, Disciple, Apostle to Antioch and Cyprus, Missionary and He was a Martyr. Born JOSEPH and was Jewish. He was a peacemaker. He was known as “the encourager”. Early theologians suggest that Barnabas might have authored parts of the book of Hebrews.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Refers to the need for encouraging of the saints because the Day of the Lord draws near! Encouragement is needed because the negativity and attacks of evil will increase.

Discouragement will tear you apart. Below are 5 fruits of discouraged people: 2 Samuel 19:1-7

1.     Discouraged people are defeated people

2.     Discouraged people are demoralized people.

3.     Discouraged people are dis-illusioned people

4.     Discouraged people are devalued people

5.     Discouraged people are often a divided people

So what do we need to do to become an ENCOURAGER?

1.     An ENCOURAGER speaks ENCOURAGING WORDS!

2.     An ENCOURAGER shows APPRECIATION to others!

3.     An ENCOURAGER shares HOPE!

LETS SEEK TO BECOME ENCOURAGERS OF EACH OTHER!

The Miracle of America - Speaker Phil Savage

“Blessed is the Nation who’s God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage”

Psalm 33:12

Are we one Nation under God?

Exploring the evidence.

Our Government was founded on 3 principles.

1.   Truths. We hold these truths to be self-evident.

2.   From the consent of the governed.

3.   We are endowed by our creator.

Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods. Mark 12:17

He changes times and seasons, he deposes kings and raises up others.  He gives wisdom and knowledge to the discerning.  Daniel 2:21

So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.  What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight, what is whispered in your year, proclaim from the roofs. Mathew 10: 26-27