Evergreen Christian Community

Jim Ladd, January 24, 2021 WE CAN LEARN TO LISTEN TO GOD THE BIG IDEA: I MUST LEARN TO HEAR GOD WHEN HE SPEAKS TO ME. “IN OUR DAY HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE ON TIPTOE WAITING FOR THE EMERGING OF A SPIRIT-LED, SPIRIT-INTOXICATED, SPIRIT-EMPOWERED PEOPLE. ALL OF CREATION WATCHES EXPECTANTLY FOR THE SPRINGING UP OF A DISCIPLINED, FREELY GATHERED, MARTYR PEOPLE WHO KNOW IN THIS LIFE THE LIFE AND POWER OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.” RICHARD FOSTER ACTS 13:1-3 ACTS 16:6-10 STEP ONE: MOVE FROM SPIRITUAL MINDLESSNESS TO MINDFULNESS. THREE COMMON MISTAKES: 1. LOOKING FOR INSIDER INFORMATION 2. LOOKING FOR A BADGE OF SPIRITUALITY OR IMPORTANCE 3. LOOKING TO AVOID RISKS STEP 11 OF 12-STEPS: SEEK THROUGH PRAYER AND MEDITATION TO IMPROVE OUR CONSCIOUS CONTACT WITH GOD, PRAYING ONLY FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL AND THE POWER TO CARRY THAT OUT. HELP MOVING FORWARD: ● LISTEN FOR THE SPIRIT CONTINUALLY. ● BE RELENTLESSLY RESPONSIVE. ● LISTEN FOR THE SPIRIT’S VOICE IN THE WORDS OF OTHER

Matthew 19:26b Something that is impossible with man is absolutely possible with God. BUT, with God all things are possible! GO SELL GIVE AWAY DISCOVER FOLLOW ● What piece of your identity, security, and trust is holding you back? ● What must you give away that is impossible for you to give away? ● Are you willing to allow Jesus to help you give it away? Will you: ● GO somewhere you’ve never gone? ● SELL what is most meaningful and empowering to you? ● GIVE AWAY to the powerless or poor? ● DISCOVER the most amazing treasure you’ve ever known? ● FOLLOW Jesus? WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

The Big Idea: Your actionable decisions flow from your deeply held beliefs. Exodus 33:12b-14 Matthew 11:28-30 John 14:25-27 Psalm 23 - The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing! He leads me beside still waters, makes me lie down in green pastures, and restores my soul. Many Christians are making actionable decisions from a non-biblical set of core beliefs Six Calibrating Beliefs That Must Guide Our Actions: We belong to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom Our American citizenship is a stewardship issue, not an identity issue We are politically homeless Our call is to a cruciform life There is no “Us and Them” God is Sovereign and superintending His Story RESPONSE: I will seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness I will live a cruciform posture in the world I will encourage __________ in my Oikos

Romans 8 - Life governed by the Spirit is life and peace! Matthew 6:19-34 TREASURE: ● Treasure management proceeds heart management. EYES: ● The health of your eyes determines the light in your soul. SLAVERY: ● You cannot serve two masters. WORRY: ● Worry is the indicator that the first three are misaligned Steps Forward: ● Accept reality. ● Become politically homeless: ● Trust in the Lord your God and serve Him only. ● Remain calm -the children are watching. ● Stop talking about it and only pray about it. ● Stop praying for deliverance and start praying for courageous strength.

"Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer IT IS ABOUT TRAINING VS TRYING ‭‭ 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 ‭‭ THE BIG IDEA: Following Jesus simply means learning from Him how to arrange my life in ways that enable me to live in the fruit of the Spirit. THREE LIES ABOUT SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: Spiritual disciplines are a barometer of spirituality Spiritual disciplines are unpleasant Spiritual disciplines are a way to earn favor with God Discipline: Any activity I can do by direct effort that will help me do what I cannot now do by direct effort. Spiritual Discipline: Any activity that can help me gain power to live life as Jesus taught and modeled it. The Discipline of CELEBRATION John 16:21-24 ‭ Philippians 4:4-7 ‭‭ Joy is not optional. Joy is a command. Nehemiah 8:9-12 ‭‭ LET’S GET STARTED: I must take responsibility for my joy. I must do it TODAY I must turn off the TV. I must change my thinking patterns I must anchor my joy to the One who loves me

1 Timothy 2:1-4

Ephesians 2:1-10 The Big Idea: Transformation IS possible and hope is the fuel for the process. THE FOUR “FIRSTS” IN THIS QUEST: THE FIRST PARADIGM SHIFT: God is not interested in your spiritual life. “Poiema” - God’s work of art. THE FIRST ACTION: TURN ASIDE Exodus 3 2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” THE FIRST GOAL: REAL transformation. Morphoo - “The inward and real formation of the essential nature of a person” Romans 8:29 “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” “If you are weary of some sleepy form of devotion, probably God is as weary of it as you are.” - Frank Laubach THE FIRST DANGER: Pseudo Transformation The strongest argument for Christianity is Christians. The strongest argument against Christianity is Christians. Response: • I will believe for and seek real transformation. • I will turn aside with God. •

The Big Idea: Jesus can offer perfect peace because He is the Perfect Priest. John 14:27 Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in PERFECT PEACE those whose minds are STEADFAST, because they TRUST IN YOU.” Hebrews 7:16-28 Perfect peace comes only through a PERFECT PRIEST. Open the gift of Jesus and His Redemptive work.

Big Idea: We can find security in an Everlasting Father. Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah 9:1-2 John 15:4 Matthew 9:35

IN THE CHAT: What motivates you or helps you get up in the morning? John 11:32-35 How we exercise COMPASSION: 1. WEEP and share in the sorrow. Romans 12:15 NAS 2. GIVE of what you have. Matthew 23:37-38 3. Serve with COMPASSION. Our response: 1. Pray for God to change my heart and open my eyes. 2. Ask God to prompt my response. 3. What’s my time frame?

Isaiah 9:6-7 Mighty = One who magnifies Himself; bold and audacious. God = Singular, absolute. Without equal or compare God never aligns Himself with the world’s understanding of power. The Cross is both the WORK OF GOD and the REVELATION OF GOD. Philippians 2:6-11 The devices of your captivity have been SHATTERED and lie on the ground! The greatest evidence of unstoppable power is SELF-FORGETFULNESS. Ephesians 1:18-23 Response: Ask God to see and live according to God’s power and not your own.

Isaiah 9:1-7 Why do we so desperately need a Counselor? Isaiah 1:2-3 What makes Him Wonderful? He has the only accurate Perspective. What is a Counselor? He helps me see clearly and navigate wisely. THE WISE ADVICE OF THE WONDERFUL COUNSELOR: 1. Deal with the self. Isaiah 1:16-20 2. Never leave your Counselor. John 16:12-15 Proverbs 3:5-6 Psalm 23:1 Response: 1. Confess and repent. 2. Keep walking with the Counselor.

PROBLEM: SALVATION HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AND UNDERSTOOD ALMOST ENTIRELY FROM A LEGAL FRAMEWORK. 5 Things: 1. GOD IS LIGHT. ● 1 John 1:5 2. IF = HOW ● 1 John 1:6-7 3. CURRENT CONFESSION IS CENTRAL TO A LIFE WITH GOD. ● 1 John 1:8-10 4. WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW WHEN WE OBEY. ● 1 John 2:3-6 5. THE KEY INDICATOR OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD IS THE PRESENCE OF LOVE AND THE ABSENCE OF HATE. ● 1 John 2:9-11

Big Idea: Jesus transforms us when we submit our pain to Him. Romans 8:18-25 How should we process pain? • Pain is universal. • Pain must be processed. Our Hope in Jesus. The Glory of God will be revealed in us because of our suffering. 1. Pain must be processed. 1 Peter 4:1 2. We process pain through the hope we have in Jesus. What needs processing in your own life?

Isaiah 43:1-7 God is the worthy and safe One! Ezekiel 23 Misplaced trust is a gross perversion. Misplaced trust leads to captivity. God can defeat anyone and anything with nothing but Himself. Any time He wants to. Ezekiel 37:1-14 2 Kings 6:24 -7

In The Chat: What is the hardest personal boundary for you to protect? John 13:34-35 John 2:24 1 Peter 2:23 Genesis 1:26-31 Ownership of the Self: IDENTITY - PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY - DEFINITION Life is a TEST, life is a TRUST, and life is a TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT. Boundaries are crossed: ● Whenever we make someone else’s choices for them. ● Whenever we think someone else is responsible for making choices for us.

Matthew 7:28-29 Mark 1:22 Luke 4:32. Mark 1:22 Luke 4:32 Jesus HEALED – with authority. Matthew 9:8 Mark 1:27 Luke 4:36 “Don’t DISCOUNT yourself.” Authority- rightful, actual, unimpeded power to act, to possess, control, use or dispose of. Matthew 28:18 Matthew 10:1 Three takeaways: 1. Jesus can GIVE what He has been given. 2. Know that you QUALIFY as a recipient. 3. Have SHAMELESS AUDACITY in your asking. Luke 11:8

In the Chat: Who has been the most powerful influence in your life? The Four Essential Functions of Emotional Health: 1. Relational Connection 2. Relational Disconnection 3. Processing Pain 4. Adult Competencies How do you grow a human? God is Love and Love only finds expression in relationships. There are only two human realities in the world: Life and Death. Ephesians 4:3-6 Why is this so hard for us to achieve? ● Because our core emotion is FEAR ● Because our core motivation is NAKEDNESS ● Because our core strategy is to HIDE Response: ● What will I do in the next 24 hours to move toward connection?

John 8:2-12 There was a HUGE crowd - “all the people gathered around Him.” What did He write in the sand? They kept questioning Him. Jesus caught everyone! The crowd was also condemned. I am caught, too. Luke 9:52-56 Matthew 22:36-40 ● If we love people, we love God. ● If we do not love people, we are not loving God.