CCV

Focus: We can experience overflowing joy that spills out on others. I. GUILT STEALS Joy II. BITTERNESS SHOVES Aside Joy III. FEAR STRANGLES Joy IV. Jesus brings GREAT JOY V. Great Joy is NOT SILENT John 15:11 2 Corinthians 7:4 2 Corinthians 8:2 Galatians 5:22 1 Peter 1:8 1 Thessalonians 1:6 James 1:2   Posted with Blogsy by Mark Luffman

Doug Freeman Luke 1:26-38 Focus: There's no better place to be than in God's favor. I. God's favor SURPRISING II. God's favor POWERFUL III. God's favor DEMANDING Luke 1:38 Posted with Blogsy

Jim Hammond Focus: God always keeps His promises. I. God's people WAIT . Genesis 12:2-3 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 2 Samuel 7:12-13 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. II. Waiting on God is NEVER EASY. III. Waiting on God is ALWAYS WORTH IT. Galatians 4:4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law...   Posted with Blogsy

Matthew 11:28-30 2 Corinthians 5:17 Romans 12:1-2 Focus: It is possible to be CHANGED , to live an eternal kind of life! I. It is possible to LIVE an "eternal kind of LIFE ." II. This KIND of life requires a DECISION . III. This DECISION causes us to be CHANGED . IV. What if l'm BROKEN or seem to be STUCK ? Posted with Blogsy

Focus: Love has two sides, a tender side and a tough side. John 5:24-29 Matthew 12:35-37 John 3:36 I. Can God's WRATH and LOVE be integrated? II. Nobody wants AN UNHOLY GOD . III. HELL is a necessary extension of LOVE .   Posted with Blogsy

Matthew 20:1-16 ; 2 Peter 3:9 ; 1 John 4:10-12 Focus: The most important thing about you is WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT GOD. I. Jesus Streamed God's GENEROSITY . II. God wants YOU to KNOW and LOVE HIM . We love Him because He first loved us. III. Bedrock Streaming: God LOVES you FIRST .   Posted with Blogsy

Apprentice of Jesus - Mark 14:36 ; Matthew 6:9-13 Focus: We can trust God because His goodness is better than we thought! Have you ever been through a situation that made you doubt God's goodness? I. Jesus streamed thoughts of ABBA . Psalm 149:3-4 Mark 14:36 Matthew 6:9-13 (Lord's Prayer) II. What is your CUP ? III. Make PRAISE sa HABIT .   Posted with Blogsy

Focus: The life of a follower of Jesus is not meant to be lived alone. I. Community CARRIES us II. Community CHALLENGES us 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. III. Community MOVES us Hebrews 10:19-25 - A Call to Persevere in Faith 19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit ...

The Focus: Every Member is a Minister.  I. Every Christ-Follower is... A. MADE For This B. SAVED For This C. CALLED For This D . GIFTED For This E . AUTHORIZED For This F . PREPARED For This G . NEEDED For This II. What can I do? A. Discover your GIFTS   B. Explore your OPPORTUNITIES  

Focus: The church does not exist for us. We are the church and we exist for the world . Matthew 25:31-40 I. Membership (World Style) is YOU - Focused  II. But membership in Jesus is focused on the  YOU  beside  YOU.  Your devotion to God is illustrated, demonstrated, and authenticated by your love for others.  What does love require? Do the most loving things. It is not complicated but it is demanding. 

1 Thessalonians 5:25, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Luke 4:13, 2 Timothy 4:7, Hebrews12:-3, Acts 19:13-16 Focus: I will pray for my church leaders. Question: Why should I Pray for our leaders. It is GOD'S WILL that you do. All CHURCH LEADERS need Prayer Because of the DEVIL'S TRAPS Leaders experience MORE ... Few leaders FINISH WELL ACTION STEP   Posted with Blogsy

Focus: Church membership is not about finding a church that matches all my personal preferences, but about being connected and equipped to make a difference for others. Mark 9:33-35, 10:35-45 Question: What changes ME FIRST people into something else? 1: Jesus' WORDS 2: Jesus' EXAMPLE 3: Jesus' SACRIFICE 4: Jesus' LIFE INSIDE   Posted with Blogsy

Ephesians 4:1-16 Focus: Unity in the Church requires intentional effort.  1. We are URGED to live a LIFE worthy of our CALLING .  2. We are to be HUMBLE and GENTLE as we BEAR with one another in LOVE .  3. We are to make EVERY EFFORT for UNITY through PEACE .  4. We do this because it REFLECTS the very NATURE of GOD .       John 17:20-23 5. We do this so that the WORLD will KNOW who JESUS is.  6. And our NUMBER is ONE !

1 Cor 12:12-31 Focus: Why you might want to be a functional church member.  I. Membership is more than a METAPHOR . II. I am a SIGNIFICANT member of the body.  III. I am a FUNCTIONAL member of the body.  IV. I am an IMPORTANT member of the body. V. We are a COORDINATED TEAM. 

Texts Matthew 23:27 "Woe to you, experts in the law31 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. John 8:1-11 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 [2] Early in the morning he came to the temple courts again. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach3 them. [3] The experts in the law4 and the Pharisees5 brought a woman who had been caught committing adultery. They made her stand in front of them [4] and said to Jesus,6 "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. [5] In the law Moses commanded us to stone to death7 such women.8 What then do you say?" [6] (Now they were asking this in an attempt to trap him, so that they could bring charges against9 him.)10 Jesus bent down and wrote on the ground with his finger.11 [7] When they persisted in asking him, he stood up straight12 and replied,13 "Whoever...

Luke 9:23 Focus: Are you a comfortable fan or an uncomfortable follower. I. We were not asked to take up the symbol .  II. Fans and followers like the cross as comfort .  III. Only followers trade their comforts for the cause . https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A23&version=NIV Luke 9:23 New International Version (NIV) 23  Then he said to them all:  “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:23 Luke 7 Genesis 4:1 Focus: Seek intimacy with God. I. Which MAP are you FOLLOWING ? Religion or Relationships II. God KNOWS you. III. God WANTS you to KNOW and DESIRE Him. IV. Fans HOLD BACK , Followers SEEK INTIMACY . Luke 9:23 New International Version (NIV) 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 7 New International Version (NIV) The Faith of the Centurion 7 When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6 So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the...

Not a Fan - Completely Committed to Christ Luke 9:23-26 Matthew 4:18-22 Luke 5:27-32 Focus: who can follow Jesus? I. Anyone is WELCOME II. Anyone means EVERYONE III. No qualifications means NO EXCUSES IV. It's anyone, but it's EVERYTHING Luke 9:23-26New International Version (NIV) 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Matthew 4:18-22New International Version (NIV) Jesus Calls His First Disciples 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net ...

Luke 9:23 ; John 6 Focus: Jesus doesn't want fans, but completely, committed, followers. DTR - Define the Relationship I. Why are you here? II. Are you All In? III. Have you made it your own? Luke 9:23 New International Version (NIV) 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. John 6 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Phi...