Bad Advice: How To Commit Adultery

Bad Advice-Week 1: "How To Commit Adultery"
In this series we take a critical look at some of the "bad advice" to which we often fall prey, and contrast it to the godly advice we all need to take.
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Matthew 5:27
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'

65% of husbands and 55% of wives will commit adultery.

Journal of Psychology and Christianity

Why is it that so many people who never thought they would ever commit adultery, do commit adultery?

BAD ADVICE: Just take 3 easy steps…

1. NEGLECT your marriage.

· Don't give them your best.
· Give them your worst.
· Stop talking.
· Stop dating or working at romance.

2. Enjoy your marriage.

· Don't give them your best.
· Give them your worst.
· Stop talking.
· Stop dating or working at romance.

3. Enjoy COMMON interests and form an interests and form an EMOTIONAL bond with someone else.

· Go by their desk, or otherwise make sure your paths cross.
· Flirt a little.
· Catch their eye. Dress provocatively.
· Text after work.
· Whatever you do, hide this from your spouse.

Spiritually minded? Say this:
"I'll be praying for you."
"I really care for you…"
"I've got you on my heart…"

3. Make EXCUSES and and RATIONALIZE your actions.

"She wasn't meeting my needs."
"If he would pay some attention to me."
"If I didn't have to put up with all his _________ all the time…"
Make excuses. Blame your spouse.
This will make you feel better every time.

Then tell yourself,
"Well I'm not happy and God wants me happy no matter what."
"My highest and best calling is that I would be happy."
"I am not really going to go through with it."
"I would never actually commit adultery".
"What we are doing is harmless."
"I'm just being playful."

After a close call … tell yourself…
"Maybe this other relationship was meant to be!
"Maybe this is what God really wants for me!

GODLY ADVICE: Do whatever it takes to…

1. Radically reduce the RISKS

Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

A powerful question:
If your spouse could see a video feed of you all day long, would your spouse be blessed by what they saw, or hurt by what they saw?

· Keep a growing relationship with Christ.
· Keep a growing relationship with your spouse.
· Never talk bad about your spouse.
· Surround yourself with strong marriages.
· Avoid all inappropriate media, places, and situations.
· Never be alone with the wrong people.

2. Invest passionately in your
If your spouse could see a video feed of you all day long, would your spouse be blessed by what they saw, or hurt by what they saw?

· Keep a growing relationship with Christ.
· Keep a growing relationship with your spouse.
· Never talk bad about your spouse.
· Surround yourself with strong marriages.
· Avoid all inappropriate media, places, and situations.
· Never be alone with the wrong people.

2. Invest passionately in your MARRIAGE

Proverbs 5:19-20 (NIV)
… satisfysatisfy you always, may you ever be you always, may you ever be intoxicatedintoxicated with her love. Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man's wife?

I am not a "mistaker" in need of a life-coach, I am a sinner in need of a savior.

If we aim everything to OUR satisfaction, we say crushing things like "You are not meeting my needs".

With a savior, our upside down "love" is turned right side up and thinks instead, "How can I serve you and meet your needs."

3. Visualize the potential DESTRUCTION

· What percentage of people actually marry the forbidden lover? 3%
· What percentage of those marriages end in divorce? 75%
· What are the odds of a lasting marriage with that lover? .075%

Getting caught in secret sin is horrible! There is only one thing worse. NOT getting caught.

Matthew 5:30
And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Dear God,
You desire trust, love, joy, peace, and security through faithfulness. I desire this too. Lord Jesus, I need you. Will You show me where I can add strength, protection, and beauty to my (future) marriage? Holy Spirit, I invite Your power and purity into my life and into all of my relationships. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Ressurection

Welcome to Verde Valley Christian Church
April 21, 2019 / / / Epicenter-Week 2: "Ressurection".
In this two part series, we untangle the question of the meaning of life, by looking at the very epicenter of our faith, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
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Title: "Resurrection"
Speaker: Jim Hammond
Series: Epicenter

John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Mark 16:1
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.

John 20:2 (NIV)
…"They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!"

I. Does it sound like NONSENSE to you?

Luke 24:12
Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

II. What adequately explains the CHAIN REACTION?

Luke 24:48
You are witnesses of these things.

If you think the resurrection is hard to explain, the immediate chain reaction is even harder explain without solid evidence for the resurrection as its epicenter!

Nuclear bombs are weapons of mass destruction. They harness the forces that hold the nucleus of an atom together by using the energy released when the particles of the nucleus (neutrons and protons) are either split or merged [fission or fusion].
From a British website dedicated to nuclear disarmament

A. The resurrection was an epicenter flashpoint that set off a powerful chain reaction that continues to this day. It follows the pattern of both fusion and fission by "merging" with Christ then "splitting" resurrection life from person to person.

1 Corinthians 15:7
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

A. FAITH didn't cause it.

B. DOCUMENTS didn't cause it.

C. JESUS caused it.

Acts 17:6 (ESV)
"…These men who have turned the world upside downhave come here also…"

III. BET on it today!

"Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists."
Blaise Pascal (mathematician, physicist, inventor, follower of Jesus)

"God, I know I've let a lot of death into my life. I've messed up. I need Your grace. I need Your forgiveness. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me. Thank You for raising Him back to life. I'm ready to put an end to all the death in me and start living for You. In Jesus' name, amen."

Epicenter: Crucifixion

Verde Valley Christian Church

Apr 14 – 16, 2019

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Welcome to Verde Valley Christian Church

April 14, 2019  / / /   Epicenter-Week 1: "Crucifixion".

In this two part series, we untangle the question of the meaning of life, by looking at the very epicenter of our faith, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

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Title: "Crucifixion"

Speaker: Jim Hammond

Series: Epicenter

"Drugs and alcohol are not my problem. Reality is my problem. Drugs and alcohol are my solution. They fill up the hole inside of me."

—Russell Brand

"I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer."

—Jim Carrey

"Is there any meaning in my life that the inevitable death awaiting me does not destroy?"

—Leo Tolstoy

How can his gruesome death be called "Good"?

I.      Don't be SURPRISED by darkness; Jesus  by darkness; Jesus PREDICTED it.

John 13:21

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me."

John 13:27

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, "What you are about to do, do quickly."

John 13:30

As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

John 16:33

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

We follow an invincible leader who was able to overcome the largest gathering of spiritual darkness imaginable!

II.      Don't DENY darkness; You too are  darkness; You too are BARABBAS.

Matthew 27:15

Now it was the governor's custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.

Matthew 27:17

So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?"

III.      Don't be DEFEATED by darkness; let Jesus  by darkness; let Jesus ABSORB it.

Why did Jesus die?

Matthew 27:21-22

"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!"

Matthew 27:25

All the people answered, "His blood is on us and on our children!"

Why did Jesus die?

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2 Corinthians 5:21

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Dear Lord Jesus, 

I am blown away that you loved ME and gave yourself for ME. I know there is darkness in me. I keep messing up my life. Thank you for absorbing my sin, releasing me, and giving me life. By your life and victory help me to live right with you. Amen.

Break Bread

Verde Valley Christian Church Apr 7, 2019
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Love Like Jesus, Week 3: "Break Bread"
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Focus: If we want to live like Jesus, we need to love like Jesus.

Luke 7:33-35
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is proved right by all her children."

Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47 SMV (Sad Modern Version) (A cultural "re-write" for effect) The Christians were devoted to themselves and occasionally got to church when they had time. No one was filled with awe because there were no signs and wonders performed by the believers. Very few of the believers were together and they had almost nothing in common because they had no real time with each other. If they sold something, they used the money to buy something better for themselves. They ate on the run, kept to themselves and were too rushed to enjoy one another or give praise to God. They claimed to love God, but they didn't really love each other and they felt very empty and alone. As a result, most people disliked them and very few people were ever saved.

SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS

I. Your PRESENCE matters

Hebrews 10:25
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

Practice being in God's presence;
then practice bringing God's presence into the present with others.

II. How MEETING TOGETHER moves us

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

III. A caring community is CONTAGIOUS

Acts 2:46-47
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Dear Jesus,
We get so busy and forget the power of community. Please reignite in us our passion for coming together in worship and in life. Holy Spirit, empower us to not just go to church, but to be the Church, together, and spur each other toward love and good deeds. Amen.