Sermon Notes...Be Cool

Scripture Text...Daniel 6

Introduction: Pressure, problems and pain doesn't develop your character, as much as it exposes it... The story of your ability is told as you struggle. Sometimes you're in a struggle and aren't even aware.

Transition: When you know the principles, you don't have to be afraid of the problem...

Exposition: Here's three action steps to help you 'Be Cool'...

1) Prayer has to be a priority...verse 10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
   -1 Thessalonians 5:17 Never stop praying.
   -If you only pray when you're in trouble, you're in trouble!
   -Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

2) Live like you're leaving...verse 16 So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”
   -"Life isn't about your duration, but your donation." ~Jim Cowart (Reference verses 1-3)
   -Daniel understood that life was designed to glorify God by how he lived. Even the king knew   that he was serious about his relationship with God.
   -King Darius does not know God, but he knows Daniel and seeds have been planted in him and he didn't know it.

3) Keep your faith grounded...verse 23 The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.
   -Don't allow the current direction of your life to separate you from God (Reference Romans 8:38-39).
   -Don't allow the lions of life, to scare you off course and make you feel trapped (Reference 1st Peter 5:8).
   -Don't act like you've made it on your own (Reference 1st Corinthians 15:10).

Conclusion: We've explored how you should 'Be Cool' but let's culminate this study with why you should 'Be Cool'. Psalm 37:1-3 says "Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong.
² For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. ³ Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper." Daniel's enemies were cut off in verse 24 of Daniel chapter 6 and Daniel prospered in verse 28!

BIG NEWS!!!

Good morning and may the Lord be with you today! Here's the BIG NEWS!!!...

*Today from 10am to 12noon, Lucretia Taylor will be at the church for those of you that want to donate items for this Saturday's yard sale. Remember that the yard sale will be in the front paling lot from 7am to 12pm.

*Our prayer call tonight at 7pm is a don't miss! Peanut (Fred Taylor, III) will be leading us. Call (641) 715-3836 and use access code 131337. Please make every effort to be on the call and once it begins me your phones, so there won't be any distractions for the leader.

*Sunday morning, I'll be preaching a message titled 'Be Cool'. Be busy inviting folks to come with you this week at 10:45am.

*I'm in Tifton, Ga today through Saturday, for the yearly meeting of our conference of churches. Pray for my wife and I, as we represent you to best of our ability. It's my life's privilege to be your pastor and I want to make you proud of my work. Remember that church growth is not a one man show. I need every one of you to do your part, to make Grace Corner "The most caring, covenant community of Christians the world has ever seen!"

Sermon Notes...GCC 101: Explaining the Vision

 *This is a topical message, where various passages of scripture will be used to support the topic.


Objective: The goal of this teaching, is to remind you of Grace Corner's mission and vision, to recharge you for the task and to see a resurgence of evangelism efforts in our church.

Introduction: Grace Corner is a unique church, that's not for everybody but we are a church for anybody. We don't want to be like everybody, we just want to be like Jesus and welcome anybody!

Transition: Periodically, goals have to be revisited so we don't forget our purpose. Without a reminder, we end up overly concerned with the wrong things...

Exposition: Three questions must be asked and answered, in order to properly explain the vision of the Grace Corner Church...

1) Who are we? 1st Peter 2:9 "But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."

~A people that's been chosen by God. There's a sense of humility and responsibility that comes with being God's chosen people.

~We've been called by God out of living in darkness, to living in the wonderful light. This wonderful light makes us different, so we can make a difference!

2) Why do we exist? Ephesians 4:12 "Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ."

~The preparation of God's people is our purpose. We're to educate, encourage and exemplify life in Jesus Christ.

~Our preparation is for the construction of the body of Christ. We accomplish that through invitations (get people in here), retention (keep people here) and education (teach them to live like Jesus, so they can lead people to Jesus).

3) What's next for us? Acts 2:42 "All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer."

~Excellence in these five areas, is what will make us a strong and significant faith community.

~Devotion (a great commitment) to these things, leads to the addition of people by the Lord's doing! Acts 2:47b says "And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."

***Here's how you can help this week:

1...Pray for our church, that we fulfill God's plan for us. And pray with our church on Wednesday at 7 p.m. by calling (641) 715-3836 and use access code 131337.

2...Invite your friends and family to church next Sunday, and keep a few church cards with you so they'll have the necessary information. Invitations can be as simple as forwarding the daily text to someone; tagging friends on Facebook in an invite message with a link to the church's page or leaving a church card with your tip at a restaurant.

3...Get involved in a ministry. This builds relationships and makes sure that none of our members get lost in the shuffle of the crowd. If you're interested in helping with the youth, being a greeter, set-up for Café Grace, clean up of the building, office support, the prayer ministry or anything not mentioned that you feel drawn to, please text Pastor Walker TODAY!!!

4...Contribute a financial gift, that's from your heart to help the ministry stay alive. Your giving is how Grace Corner is able to function. God really doe's give blessings to blessers! We're not try to get rich, we're trying to get all we can so that we can give all we have, to the glory of God!

Big News!!!

Good morning! You are more than your job! You are not a slave to it, and there is much more to you than what you bring home in your pay check. God has chosen you for himself as his own people! You're a royal priesthood, that's smart, strong and sensitive to God's spirit! Let that sit in you spirit today and marinate in you mind, because God doesn't make junk...you're God's prized possession, the apple of his eye! Now live like you're loved and have been lifted!!!

Here's the BIG NEWS!!!

The lades of GCC are asked to be on a planning conference call tonight at 7 p.m., to organize our women's ministry. Please be a part in this call, to help make our faith community more exciting and empowering. Remember, that you only get of something, what you've put into it!

This Sunday at 10:45 a.m. we'll celebrate 1 year of being a merged church! Bring your family and friends to help us make turning 1 unforgettable! Pastor Walker will be preaching a celebratory message titled 'GCC 101: Explaining the Vision'. It's going to be a great time of reflection and celebration that you just don't want to miss!

Sermon Notes...A Lot: Blessed Burdens

Text...Genesis 13 and 14:1-16

Scriptural Springboard...Genesis 13:5a "Lot, who was traveling with Abram,"

Introduction: Life will unexpectedly heap circumstances (beyond your control) upon you, that cause you to exhibit strength that you didn't know you had.

Transition: Everyone has a lot! Lot is more than a person, lot is pressure. Pressure to be, to become, to behold, to bear a burden...

 

Exposition: When dealing with 'A Lot' keep these principles in mind...

 

1) If the relationship is going to survive, you need space (Genesis 13:5-9) Lot, who was traveling with Abram, had also become very wealthy with flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and many tents. ⁶ But the land could not support both Abram and Lot with all their flocks and herds living so close together. ⁷ So disputes broke out between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot. (At that time Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land.) ⁸ Finally Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not allow this conflict to come between us or our herdsmen. After all, we are close relatives! ⁹ The whole countryside is open to you. Take your choice of any section of the land you want, and we will separate. If you want the land to the left, then I’ll take the land on the right. If you prefer the land on the right, then I’ll go to the left.”

*Sometimes you have to feed people with long handled spoons.

*No animosity is harbored, this arrangement just isn't working out.

*Our connection has blessed you financially, but what have you learned from me about faith that will sustain you?

 

2) A sinful spot isn't a good place to stay (Genesis 13:10-13 & reference 14:1-16) Lot took a long look at the fertile plains of the Jordan Valley in the direction of Zoar. The whole area was well watered everywhere, like the garden of the Lord or the beautiful land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) ¹¹ Lot chose for himself the whole Jordan Valley to the east of them. He went there with his flocks and servants and parted company with his uncle Abram. ¹² So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain. ¹³ But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord.

*It's crap that keeps the grass green; sin was beneath the soil.

*When you change connections, you change consequences.

*Thank God for bailouts for those in bondage!

 

3) You can't hear God with a lot around (Genesis 13:14-18) After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. ¹⁵ I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. ¹⁶ And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! ¹⁷ Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” ¹⁸ So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord.

*Who or what is around you, that's keeping you from hearing God's voice?

*The way you handled that 'lot' let's God know that you can handle a who 'lot' more!

*Stay faithful and blessings will follow you. The burden is just to remind you that you still need God!



Sermon Notes...When Helping You Is Hurting Me

Scriptural Text...1st Samuel 3:11-14 (New Living Translation)  Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. ¹² I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. ¹³ I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. ¹⁴ So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

Introduction: When mentally and emotionally healthy, humanity has the general proclivity to help when they see others in need. Being of service isn't a bad thing, except when the provider or the recipient doesn't have good sense. Often the provider doesn't recognize that at some point they cease being of help and become an enabler and a crippler. They're so hyped by helping, that they need to be needed and just can't stop. On the other hand, the recipient doesn't know they've been crippled and are taking advantage of the provider's good will and mercy.

Transition: There's no clearer portrait of helping other people, that in turn hurts the provider of help, than the story of Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas...

Exposition: In hindsight, let's learn from Eli's mistakes of enabling and crippling his sons. He was helping them but it was hurting him...

1) Ignoring the truth won't change it...1st Samuel 2:22 " Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.^"

-God is watching how you're going to handle this. Your ailments (which everyone has) aren't a pass on being responsible.

-Past good has no bearing on present evil.

2) Allowing people to keep what they don't deserve or didn't earn is detrimental...1st Samuel 2:23-25 "Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? ²⁴ You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. ²⁵ If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death."

-When it comes down to self preservation or helping someone with a hard head, that's a nonnegotiable! I choose me!

-Sometimes it's family that's the most trifling! However, friends may not have your blood but they can have your heart. Reference 1st Samuel 2:26 " Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people."

3) Crazy actions lead to captured anointing...1st Samuel 4:19-22 " Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near her time of delivery. When she heard that the Ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth. ²⁰ She died in childbirth, but before she passed away the midwives tried to encourage her. “Don’t be afraid,” they said. “You have a baby boy!” But she did not answer or pay attention to them.²¹ She named the child Ichabod (which means “Where is the glory?”), for she said, “Israel’s glory is gone.” She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead. ²² Then she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the Ark of God has been captured.”

-The greatest hurt of all, is the removed presence of God from your life. NO ONE is worth the absence of God!!!
-Don't be so attached to people that you can't let them go, so that you can go with God!

YOU Matter to Us!!!

So it's a gloomy Saturday in Middle Georgia. That's a mere indication for you to be lazy today and enjoy the slow pace. I'm asking you to rest today and come to worship tomorrow to be revived. At both the 9:45 (Bloomfield Chapel) and 10:45 (Café Grace) morning experiences, I'll be teaching about 'When Helping You, Is Hurting Me'. I'm convinced that this message will be confrontational and transformational.

I'm playing with you to bring someone with you in the morning. There are people in your house, love right next door or consider you to be a strong influence in their life's. Bring them with you! Don't miss out on the fellowship, pastries and the non-judgmental environment. It just won't be the same without you there, because YOU Matter to Us!!!

*We are the most caring, covenant community of Christians the world has ever seen!