What happens when I respond to Jesus' call to come part 3

This past Sunday we continued with our new series "Carols?" This entire series we are going to look at 4 specific Christmas Carols and how they apply to our lives!!! This past Sunday we looked at "O Come All Ye Faithful." You can listen to the podcast or download it at http://wyandottefamily.libsyn.com/  

You can also download an Amazon App for only $1.99 and have easy access to all of the podcasts right on your Android Smartphone. http://www.amazon.com/Wizzard-Media-Wyandotte-Family-Church/dp/B00OZZXW56/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418834318&sr=8-1&keywords=Wyandotte+Family+Church 

Yesterday I blogged about the first result that happens in our lives #1-God makes us more faithful. Secondly we talked about how God makes us more joyful. Today I want to talk about the 3rd result of responding to Jesus' call to come.

#3 Jesus helps us become more triumphant

Triumphant isn't a word that we use in our culture anymore but it is a powerful word. It means victorious. The opposite of triumphant is defeated. For many followers of Christ, they walk around defeated. Many followers of Christ walk around discouraged, worried, fearful, angry, bitter, and consumed with failures.

BUT...when we respond to Jesus' call to come to Him. When we take time daily to sit at his feet and listen. When we take time to pray and read the Bible. We are reminded and our minds are renewed. We are reminded....

Psalm 23—Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.
Psalm 84:11—No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Romans 8:28—All things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purposes.
Isa40.29.NLT 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Isa41.10.NLT 10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand Eph3.16.NLT I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Philippians 2:13-- ¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 4:13— ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ,^[a] who gives me strength. Ephesians 3:20— Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
2 Corinthians 12:9—Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.) Ps68.35.NLT God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! Ps68.19.NLT 19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms. Ephesians 1:10—Be strong in the Lord and in HIS mighty power.

The more we respond to Jesus' call to come the more triumphant we will be. WHY? Because God's presence gives us peace. His Word renews our mind. The battle is won and lost in the mind.

I pray that this Christmas season, you will find yourself responding more to the call of Jesus to come to Him. As a result may you find yourself becoming more faithful, joyful and triumphant.

What happens when I respond to Jesus' call to come part 2

This past Sunday we continued with our new series "Carols?" This entire series we are going to look at 4 specific Christmas Carols and how they apply to our lives!!! This past Sunday we looked at "O Come All Ye Faithful." You can listen to the podcast or download it at http://wyandottefamily.libsyn.com/  

You can also download an Amazon App for only $1.99 and have easy access to all of the podcasts right on your Android Smartphone. http://www.amazon.com/Wizzard-Media-Wyandotte-Family-Church/dp/B00OZZXW56/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418834318&sr=8-1&keywords=Wyandotte+Family+Church 

Yesterday I blogged about the first result that happens in our lives #1-God makes us more faithful. Today I want to talk about the 2nd result of responding to Jesus' call to come.

#2-Jesus helps us become more joyful

We actually see joy talked about in the Scripture as a fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5, the Bible says that the fruit of the spirit is love and that it is joy.

An apple tree produces an apple because it's an apple tree. It's not having to try any harder to produce an apple! It can't just squeeze out an apple, it just doesn't work. And it's that same way with us, our joy comes from a right relationship with God, it's not something that we can produce on our own. So many people have tried to produce joy through entertainment, drinking, parties, busyness etc. but it never works.

I think it is crucial that we understand that joy and happiness are worlds apart.

QUOTE: Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Jesus.—Craig Groeshel

*Happiness depends on happenings; what's going on with me right now, do I really like what's going on with me right now? Do I not like what's going on with me right now? And that determines my state of happiness.

*But joy, that comes from Jesus. That comes from way down deep. That comes from something that's not a part of this world, that comes from something that is placed in you by the living God and put inside of your spirit. And out of that overflow, a fruit of the Spirit of love and joy comes out, because happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Jesus.

As we respond to the call of Jesus to come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30) we will find ourselves becoming more faithful and more joyful. The song O come all Ye faithful will ring a little bit more true in our lives.

What happens when I respond to Jesus' call to come part 1?

This past Sunday we continued with our new series "Carols?" This entire series we are going to look at 4 specific Christmas Carols and how they apply to our lives!!! This past Sunday we looked at "O Come All Ye Faithful." You can listen to the podcast or download it at http://wyandottefamily.libsyn.com/  

You can also download an Amazon App for only $1.99 and have easy access to all of the podcasts right on your Android Smartphone. http://www.amazon.com/Wizzard-Media-Wyandotte-Family-Church/dp/B00OZZXW56/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418834318&sr=8-1&keywords=Wyandotte+Family+Church 

On Sunday, we talked focused on the fact that Jesus doesn't just call the faithful, joyful and triumphant but Jesus' call is for all. He calls those who are weary and heave burdened. He calls those who know they are sinners. We talked about Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11:28-30 to come to Him and find rest for our souls.

What happens when we finally trust Him? What happens when we finally let go of the fear, anxiety, worry, and bitterness? What happens when we begin to develop a daily habit of spending time with Jesus through prayer and Bible reading? Does it really impact my faith? Does it really impact my day?

When we respond to Jesus' call to come to Him, what we discover is that...

#1-He helps us be more faithful

Hebrews 12:2, the Hebrew writer says—² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.^[a] Because of the joy^[b] awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne

So, our faith comes from the one who authors it, it's Jesus. He gives it to us and then he goes about the work of perfecting it. It says in Romans 10:17, it says: So faith comes from hearing...But hearing what? ...hearing the word about Christ.

Hearing, reading, listening to, memorizing God's word, it builds our faith. Hearing the truth of reality makes a difference. Our thoughts are constantly bombarded with lies. You can't do it. You always fail. You'll never measure up. God doesn't love you. There is no hope. The onslaught and attack from our sinful nature, from others and from the devil fill our minds. But when we pause to respond to Jesus' invitation to come to Him, and we read His words, our faith grows. Our faith becomes stronger. We become more faithful.

By developing a daily habit of spending time with Jesus, you will find yourself becoming more faithful. It is a naturally by product.

Check back tomorrow as we talk about how responding to Jesus' call to come to Him helps make us more joyful.

PS. Here is a great worship song that I pray encourage you today as you pause and respond to Jesus' call.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D079LdJJbD8  Your Promises by Elevation Worship

 

Move from acknowledging to affirming

This past Sunday we KICKED OFF our new series "Carols?" This entire series we are going to look at 4 specific Christmas Carols and how they apply to our lives!!! This past Sunday we looked at "Oh Holy Night." You can listen to the podcast or download it at http://wyandottefamily.libsyn.com/  

This past Sunday we focused on the phrase from O Holy Night, "The thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn." We talked about how we all cling to various things in our lives like stress, worry, fear, anxiety, anger etc.

Hebrews 10:23—Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

We are challenged by the writer of Hebrews to hold tightly (cling) to the hope that we have in God. We have that hope because he can be trusted to keep HIS PROMISE.

We need to acknowledge the situation we are facing or walking through. If we are walking through financial trouble we need to acknowledge it. If we are walking through sickness we need to acknowledge it. If we are walking through anger and relational challenges, we need to acknowledge it. But as a follower of Jesus Christ we have a huge benefit. We don't stop with acknowledging but can move on to affirming. We can affirm the promises of God for the situation we are in.

In order to do this though, we need to meditate on and memorize God's promises. When we are in situations, pain or hardship, everything around us is going to scream there is no hope. However, we do know the sun will rise in the morning. That is when the promises of God brings fresh hope, courage, strength and joy into our lives. Because God can be trusted to keep his promise.

One way you can do this is go to www.biblegateway.com and type in money, fear, joy, peace, strength etc. It will give you every verse in the Bible that uses that word. You can sort through the verses and select 2-4 that you are really going to focus on. Click on the verse and it will give you the opportunity to read that verse in context. When you identify a few verses that God is making promises to us, then write those verses down and move from acknowledging your situation to affirming His promises. You can do it!