The Rock of KC

Why does God want to bless us? 1. To make us a blessing (Gen. 12:1-3, Rev. 5:9-10) - I am blessed to be a blessing, giver, etc. - to get the blessing may requires a leaving (Ps. 119:115) - we're contantly sowing in our life and so we need to sow what we want to reap. 2. God wants to establish His covanent in your life (Deut. 8:1-20) - v.17, avoid spiritual pride and forgetting God in your blessings. Why? v.18 - all our ability to do things is from God to bless our lives so we can bless other4s - v.19-20, warning - pride is the greatest danger in the christian life. Satan fell due to pride - the pride of face is obnoxious, the pride of race is fulgar, but the worst pride is the pride of grace - pride will remove the blessing quicker than anything.

- the greatest thing I can do is to love the people of the world like Jesus does. The Great Commission, Matt 28:19, Mark 16:16, Luke 24:47-48, John 20:21, Acts 1:8 10 reasons for why we go to the ends of the earth: 1. we go because Jesus is worthy (3 John 7) 2. we go because the Father is longing (2 Peter 3:9) 3. we go because the Spirit is moving (Habakkuk 1:5) 4. we go because the harvest is ripe (John 4:35) - when it's harvest time, nothing is more important than harvesting until the season ends. 5. we go because people are lost (John 3:16, 2 Thess 1:7-9) 6. we go because nations are deserving (Rev. 15:4) 7. we go because we are commissioned (Matt 28:19) 8. we go because we will give an account before Christ (2 Cor. 5:10) - what am I doing with the resources God has given me? 9. we go because of the promises of God (Numbers 14:21, Habakkuk 2:14) 10. we go because we have a destiny (1 Peter 2:9) More information about Dr. Shibley's ministry can be found at www.globaladvance.org

- make sure to get context when hearing a word or a sound bite. Be a Christian that thinks through things that are presented to you and vie3w the context of what's being said. - Romans 12:13-21 - v. 13, practice makes perfect, but improper practice makes things imperfect. Practicing hospitality takes practice. - v.14, retaliation is stuck in our mind, we need to get it out - renew your mind, out of curse mode and into bless mode - God's love in me isn't easily offended - v.15, why is it so hard to rejoice when others are blessed, instead of feeling resentment, or jealosy? - learn to mourn with those who mourn instead of trying to get them to get over it - v.16, get along with everyone as much as it depends on you. Wait and honor one another. - we're depraved when we think or show superiority above anyone else - v.18, are you a peacemaker? Stop speaking for others and stop letting others speak for others. - v.20-21, this is the heart of a Christian with a renewed mind - Ps. 92:12-15, we need to take what we've learned from Romans 12 and plant it in our hearts so it can be nourished and grow. Otherwise, we won't grow as Christians and miss the best God has for us.

Romans 12:1-14 - v.8 - giving is a spiritual issue, not a money issue - Satan whats you to be fearful of money, but tithing is a trust issue - giving generously is when you give more than your tithe - you find freedom and blessings in giving - v.13 - if I am the church without walls, I need to be hospitibal and introduce myself to those I don't know - v.14 - "bless those that persecute you" is contrary to the world's values - same thing Jesus taught in Matt 5:38-42

Romans 12:10-13 v.10 - be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Being devoted takes work - honor - it's not a suggestion - it's also not a license to have people bully you v.11 - it's my own responsibility to keep myself in tune wtih God v.12 - joyful in my confident expectation, patient in my trials - faithful in prayer - disciplined v.13 - when you hear about a need, God probably wants you to do something, even if it's just to pray - quit making it all about you, it's all about Jesus

Rom. 12:1-11 - renewing your mind by digging into God's Word v. 1 - we can react as either carnal man, natural man, or spiritual man - everything I have belongs to God, I am to present it all to Him v. 2 - being transformed - meditating on the Word, not just reading it (Prov. 4:5-6). Don't be conformed but have discipline v.3 - grace has been given to every person. I'm not better than anyone else. The level of faith varies, but don't pass judgement. How can I help other's faith grow? v. 4-5 - we all have different functions in the body of Christ. We can't all think our gift is the answer to every problem. v. 6 - don't judge others, we all have different ifts and levels according to the grace given to each of us. v.8 - most mercy people aren't cheerful (like Mary and Martha). Work hard to have a cheerful attitude. v.9 - be sincere in love (not hypocritical or two-faced). A renewed mind forgives. - must hate what is evil and cling to what is good (both) at the same time v.10 - devoted - not a casual commitment. Honoring others above myself goes against the world's values. Renew your mind by honoring others. v.11 - keep your spiritual fervor - take responsibility for my own spiritual growth, and ask for help when I need it.

A Renewed Mind Rom. 12:1-2 - through a renewed/rewired mind we can kmnow God's will 2 Cor. 10:3-5 - take every thought captive and make it obedient to God Isa. 30:15, Phil. 3:19 - need spiritual discernment - a non-conformed mind - not one that's out of touch with the people that need to hear God like the Pharisees were, but we use our mind to choose who to listen to. Not obsessed with outer beauty, but God' inward beauty in me. - world: obsessed with consumerism, God is obsessed with giving - world: focused on success, God is looking vor servanthood - world: focused on revenge, God is looking for forgiveness - world: focused on self-gratification and self-exhaltation, God is looking for humility and sacrifice God's solution: Rom. 8:5-6 - have a spiritual mind 1 Cor. 2:9-16 - we have the mind of Christ - Holy Spirit teaches us about God and His mind - natural man doesn't receive things from the Spirit of God, doesn't have the capacity to understand. God help me to reach them through something they can understand - spiritual man trust God - against human logic - 1 Cor. 3:1-3 - christians can still walk as a natural man

Five pastors of the Rock tag team in 6 minute messages on what God's been teaching them lately

- Rom. 12:1-2 - need to give everything to God, it's only reasonable because of what He's done for us - 2 Cor. 10:3-5 - taking every thought, belief, argument to God - Satan's goal is to keep our minds unrenewed so we won't be transformed - God's goal is to establish a stronghold of truth in our mind - Satan wants to steal your identity and remind you of your past - lost identity - be careful not to tie your identity into things that can change (job, relationships) but tie it to what God says you are - that never changes. In Christ is your real identity. - 2 Cor. 5:17-21 "word of reconciliation" - we're called to reconnect others to God -Before and after pictures of your life in Christ: Luke 15:24, Rom. 6:11, 2 Peter 1:19, 1 Cor. 6:9-11 - what if I don't feel different after bing in Christ? It doesn't matter if you feel different because your identity is now in Christ. - God sees you as your old identity is gone, your new identity is eternal (The butterfly isn't a caterpillar with wings, it's a new being with a new identity. The butterfly is never going back to being a caterpillar.) - you have been given the righteousness of God - Make a Truth Card from a blank 3x5 card. Write on it: Reject: (Satan's lie) "My worth = performance + others" Accept: (God's truth) "My worth = what God says about me" 1 John 4:9-10 - I am complete forgiven and fully pleasing to God Rom. 5:1 - I am totally accepted by God Col. 1:21-22 - I am a new creation, complete in Christ 2 Cor. 5:17

The Problem - issue of both the heart and mind Rom. 7:5-20, Heb. 12:1, Eph. 2:1-3,4:17-18 - limbic system: pain, pleasure, survival - we become hardwired Biblical Solutions: - renewing your mind (Rom. 12:1-2, 2 Cor. 3:18-19, Eph. 4:22-23) the mind has a spirit - setting your mindset (Rom. 8:5-6, Titus3:5) need the Holy Spirit's power - take captive every thought - do some soul talking (Prov.23:7) - "What you hang in your closet is what you will clothe yourself with. Your soul talk will affect who you are" Jennifer Rothschild from her book 'Self Talk, Soul Talk' - emotion trumps reason every time Let's Rewire: - run to God for your pleasure (Heb. 4:12-16, Ps. 16:11, 46:1)