Soul Shift: Me to We / Message #8

September 30, 2012

Soul Shift: ME to WE / Message #8

Acts 1:1—8; Acts 2

Scott Howard

 

This shift is from individualism to community.   Heaven will not just be a reunion of God and me, it will be a reunion of God and His Bride.  The Bride is the entire church community.  We are a Family.

Ø  Christianity is not just about me; it’s about we.

Ø  Me to We means that we intentionally show up to be a provider.  Not just a consumer, but a contributor.

This shift happened to the disciples after the Holy Spirit was given to them.  They were worried only about themselves and Isreal being restored, not about the rest of the people.

“On one occasion, while he [Jesus] was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’  So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’  He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”    ---Acts 1:4-8

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ….Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off---for all whom the Lord our God will call.”   ---Acts 2:36-39

Ø  This was Peter speaking in the passage above.   It is no longer just about Israel or the Jews, but about All who are far off.  He had made the shift from me to we.

Mini Shifts to go from ME to WE:

·         We must protect the unity of our church

o   We act in love toward others

o   We refuse to gossip

o   We support the leaders

·         We share in the responsibility of the church

o   We can pray

o   We can invite the unchurched (not just unbelievers)

o   We can serve in the ministry of the church—may not be easy, may not be what we want to do

o   We can allow ourselves to be equipped to serve—get involved and be willing

·         We develop a servant’s heart---be humble and take an interest in others

·         We support the mission of our church

o   Attend faithfully

o   Support the mission by living a Godly life

o   Give regularly to further the mission of the church (invest time, resources, finances)

 

Review of all Soul Shifts:

1.       Me to You –a shift in orientation from focusing on ourselves to focusing on others.

2.       Slave to Child—a shift in identity from serving God to loving God.

3.       Seen to Unseen—a shift in values from embracing things that are temporary to embracing things that are eternal.

4.       Consumer to Steward—a shift in ownership from acquiring things for ourselves to offering what we have to God and others.

5.       Ask to Listen—a shift in posture from asking others to listening to God.

6.       Sheep to Shepherd—a shift in influence from following the crowd to leading like Christ.

7.       Me to We—a shift in priority from individualism to community.

These shifts cannot be attained on our own.  We must be humble before God, receive help from Him and the Holy Spirit in order to make these shifts.  Even if it’s one at a time.  Ask God to help you become a better You, to become the You He made you to be.

Announcements 9-30

Have you ever imagines a better you?  God has a dream for you!  It's you restored to his original plan.  Join us each Sunday Morning in Pastor Scott's Sunday School Class as we unpack what SoulShifts are with practical, Biblical suggestions for life.  NEXT WEEK: SHIFT #5:  ASK TO LISTEN










40 Days of Prayer and Fasting - We are in the midst of our 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting for our country.  Please find time in the days ahead to pray for our leaders and our country as we approach this up-coming election.

Car Show - A Car Show here at SRWC THIS Saturday, October 6th.  This is a fundraiser for our youth to raise funds for the International Youth Convention in Louisville, Kentucky in December.

Coupon Books - The Children's Ministry of SRWC are selling Coupon Books which provides discounts at local businesses and restaurants.  The books are $20.  If you are interested please see Phyllis Howard.  All monies raised will go toward our Children's Ministry.

SRWC Youth Golf Tournament - Come our and support our youth in this golf tournament which is a fundraiser for the Youth Convention in December.  Are you a golfer or know of any golfers, get a team up and play some golf and support our youth ministry at the same time.  See Pastor Drew for details.

Soul Shift: Sheep to Shepherd / Message #7

September 23, 2012

Soul Shift:  Sheep to Shepherd  /  Message #7

Mark 1:15-20

Scott Howard

 

“’The time has come,’ he [Jesus] said, ‘The kingdom of God is near.  Repent and believe the good news!’  As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’  At once they left their nets and followed him.  When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.  Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.”   --Mark 1:15-20

·         Embedded in the Call to follow Christ is the call to enlist.  To get involved in His ministry.

Jesus was on a mission to find fishermen to become fishers of men, and to find sheep to become shepherds.  He preached the Gospel, healed the sick, and delivered the oppressed from evil.

·         He commissioned them to do ministry among the people.  To meet the needs of the people.

·         Jesus looked at the crowd like they were “sheep without a shepherd.”  Mark 6:30-34

·         Jesus did not come simply to save us but to recruit us.  He wants us to be a part of this journey and gives us the authority.

“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.  He appointed twelve---designating them apostles---that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.”  Mark 3:13-15

Ø  Shepherds have Internal Qualities:

·         Shepherds have compassion towards their sheep

·         Shepherds are not Critical because they know the limitations of their sheep

·         Shepherds can Empathize with those under their care, they can relate to them.

·         Shepherds know their sheep by name, they spend time with them to build relationships

·         Shepherds are self-forgetful---they think of their sheep First

·         Shepherds don’t care about who gets the glory; they care that God gets all the glory

In order to Shift from the sheep mentality to the shepherd mentality we must:

·        shift from wanting only to receive things from God to being a part of the ministry and giving the Gospel, blessings, and compassion back to others.

 

Ø  Jesus wants us to Engage in three activities:

1.       Preach the Gospel --- through our experiences.  Share our story of what God has done in our lives.

2.       Heal the sick---emotinally, spiritually, psychologically.  A word of encouragement can do this.

3.       Deliver people from their evil---help them disentangle themselves from sin.  From the things that keep them trapped, such as habits, and addictions.  But do this in a loving, caring manner.

Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit to help guide us in becoming a shepherd.  Think of ways to get involved in people’s lives in a good, loving way.  Just be there for them.  Let’s “Reach out and Shepherd someone!”

Soul Shift: Ask to Listen / Message #6

September 16, 2012

Soul Shift:  Ask to Listen / Message #6

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Scott Howard

·         We live in a noisy world--- there is music, TV, iPods, car noise, crowd noise---all this we need to filter through or tune out in order to be able to hear God speaking.

·         What and who you listen to will influence what you do.

Different Ways God Speaks:

·         Nature

·         People

·         Wisdom

·         Conscience

·         Scripture

·         Holy Spirit (urging)

1 Samuel 3:1-10:

“The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli.  In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.  One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place.  The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.  Then the Lord called Samuel.  Samuel answered, “Here I am.”  And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”  So he went and lay down.  Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”  Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.  The lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”  Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.  So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”  So Samuel went and lay down in his place.  The Lord came and stood there calling as the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.””

·         It’s not getting God to speak, it’s being in a position to listen.  God has no trouble communicating---but we have difficulty hearing and listening. 

·         God was speaking, Samuel didn’t realize it.

·         God is persistent (Thank God!)  He will keep speaking for as long as it takes.

The shift is instead of asking others for advice or what to do (which isn’t always bad) we should wait to hear from God.  If you trust Him and give Him full control, you will be in better position to hear.

“This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, YOUR WILL BE DONE on earth as it is in heaven.”  --Matthew 6:9-10

·         People are sometimes right, God is ALWAYS right!

“Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Soul Shift: Consumer to Steward / Message #5

September 9, 2012

Soul Shift: Consumer to Steward / Message #5

Luke 12:15-21

Scott Howard

How is culture affecting us?

·         Do I see other people’s stuff and become critical or bored with my own?

·         Do I shop for recreation?

·         Do I buy compulsively (because I feel like it) without thinking first of my budget or my need?

·         Is my circle of “need” getting bigger (such as cell phones, iPods, etc)?

·         Do I complain a lot about how much I make (my salary)?

·         Do I feel self-conscious when I am around rich people?

·         Do I give less than 10 % of my income to the ministry of the church?

·         Does it annoy me when the preacher talks about money?

In order to shift our souls, mindsets, attitudes from a Consumer to a Steward we must realize that:

Everything we have comes from God!

“You may say to yourself, my power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me, but remember the Lord your God for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”  ----Deuteronomy 8:17-18

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.”  ---Psalm 24:1

Sermon Scripture:

“Then he [Jesus] said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’  And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.’  Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.’”    ---Luke 12:15-21

·         I am a Manager of everything that God has given to me.  And we will all be held accountable for how we manage it all, and how we care for the things God has given to us.

·         When I realize that everything that I have is God’s, it is easier for me to give back to God what really belongs to Him anyway.  It won’t be ours forever, we can’t take it with us, so it’s as if we are just borrowing it for now.

·         God wants your Heart---everything else will fall into place if we are “rich toward God.”

Guidelines:

·         If your standard of living isn’t being somehow changed by the amount of money that you give, then you may not be giving enough.

·         The Cross --- Jesus gave ALL of Himself, sacrifice

·         We have to learn to Share with others

The rich man in the parable was selfish and arrogant.  To become more Steward-minded we must realize all that we have has been given to us by God.  We are to share what we do have with others, and give back to the church to further God’s Kingdom while we are here on earth.  And when it comes to possessions that we have in our households; just like when a friend gives you a gift, or lends you something, you want to take care of it because it was not yours to begin with.

Soul Shift: Seen to Unseen / Message #4

September 2, 2012

Soul Shift: Seen to Unseen / Message #4

Romans 4:16-25

Scott Howard

How can we be people of Faith? 

How can we shift from the Seen to the Unseen?

·         Believe!

“Therefore the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring---not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all.  As it is written, ‘I have made you a father of many nations.’  He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed---the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.  Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’”  Romans 4:16-18

Abraham’s faith was not in the promises, but in God who made the promises.  Abraham’s belief was accompanied by great action.  He had as much belief in what is not physically seen as in the things that are seen.

·         Trust!

“Without weakening in his faith, he [Abraham] faced the fact that his body was as good as dead---since he was about a hundred years old---and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”  Romans 4:19-21

Trust says God is able, and I am NOT able.  Sometimes we try to see what we can do to “help” God fulfill his promises, but that can make things worse, and we can only do so much.  You may have done all you know to do, but there’s still “the Unseen;” there’s still what God can do.  Trust says, “I can’t, but God can!”

·         Confide!

“This is why ‘it was credited to him [Abraham] as righteousness.’  The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness---for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.  He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”  Romans 4:22-25

Be confident in the Unseen, in what God can/will do.  Since God makes promises to us, his promises will come true.  That means if it’s going to happen, but we cannot see how, and anything we do won’t “help” it along, then it MUST be that God has an unseen plan!

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.” 

--Hebrews 11:1

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” 

--Proverbs 3:5

From the Pastor's Heart: September

By: Pastor Scott

For the last several weeks, we have been going through a study entitled, "SOUL SHIFT".  A "Soul Shift" is a radical rewiring of our instincts.  It is a change ("shift") that occurs at the deepest, most fundamental level of our being - our souls.  A "Soul Shift" is not the same as getting saved or deciding to follow Jesus.  A "Soul Shift" is a change in the deepest part of our being, usually after we are saved and before we die, that makes us more like Christ and less like our old selves.  We may be saved, have repented, and decide to follow Jesus.  All of that is good, and if we died today, we would still go to Heaven.

BUT HEAVEN HAS NOT YET COME INTO US.

Our souls may be saved, but they are not yet converted.  They have not "shifted."

Why is this so important?  Because the soul is where God wants to meet you.  Your soul is where you experience eternal life both now and after these bodies of ours have gone back to dust.  It is the state of your soul that will determine your eternity.

"Imagine if every morning when you woke up, your first instinct was to do what is right.  And you loved it.  Imagine being just as concerned about other people - about their marriage, kids, or job - as you were once concerned about yourself.  Imagine knowing the will of God so well that you don't have to ask all the time.  Imagine living on a fraction of your income and still feeling that it is plenty, and then using the rest for something bigger than you.  Imagine praying twenty times as much as you do now and doing it because you like to, not because you had to, just as you like hanging out with your best friend.  And what if your heart was broken by things that break the heart of God?  Imagine what all this might be like, with your soul shifted toward God in every way."  (Soul Shift, pgs. 24-25)

It is my prayer that god would use this study to transform you into the image of Jesus Christ.  That we would talk like Jesus; that we would walk like Jesus; that we would act like Jesus; think like Jesus;  and behave like Jesus in everything we do.

Believing in you,
Pastor Scott