25 Jun “Am I Going to Heaven?” | All Locations
Announcements:
Reminder: Please check your planning center profiles for requests to join and also remove members from the list that no longer attend as well as add members not listed. Thank you.
LEADERS: WE HAVE CHANGED UP THE DISCOVER CLASS WHICH USED TO BE GROWTH TRACK AND ARE ASKING ALL LEADERS TO RE-TAKE THIS A SOME POINT. BELOW IS THE CLASS SCHEDULE:
FIRST WEEKEND: DISCOVER
SECONE WEEKEND: NO CLASSES
THIRD WEEKEND: CONNECT
FOURTH WEEKEND: BAPTISM
ALL CLASSES ARE AFTER FIRST SERVICE ON SUNDAYS
NEW ENGLAND LEADERS:
NEW** Abundant Hope is looking for Brand New Summer/Fall Baby and Toddler Clothing for their community bank. These items are for women who have decided to keep their baby. We will be collecting Clothing at all of our NE locations from June 25 – July 9 in the Giving Boxes located in your location. Here is what the need is:
Girls: 18-24 months
Boys 12-24 months
Boys and Girls: 9-12 months
Join Cody Carnes on the second leg of his God is Good! Tour with special guest Benjamin William Hastings this summer! This tour serves as a faith-filled intersection of worship and fellowship where we can come together and lift high the name of Jesus. Featuring some of Carnes’ hits like “Run To The Father” and “Nothing Else” and the Carnes/ Hastings hit “Take You At Your Word”, these nights are going to be really special. We hope to see you there!
ALL CLASSES ARE AFTER FIRST SERVICE ON SUNDAYS
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Go to your email, add no-reply@churchcenter.com to your contacts (PLEASE ASK ME IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND) THANKS!
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All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at: waterschurch.org/events)
Location Text Alerts:
| North Attleboro | Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300 | |
| Norwood | Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357 | |
| Apollo Beach | Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979 | |
| Woonsocket | Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837 | |
| Southcoast | Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490 | |
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Key Verse: Matthew 7
Am I Going to Heaven?
Ice Breaker:
Q. If you had only one personal possession you could take to Heaven, what would it be and why?
Matthew 7:13-14
Despite what we believe about what God’s Word tells us, many more people will go to Hell than Heaven. Statistically, 31.11% of the world’s population consider themselves Christian. That equals 2.3 billion out of the 8 billion people currently populating Earth. In America, 64% of people claim to be Christian, which may seem like a lot, but 50 years ago, that number was 90%.
Not all people who claim to be Christian are, in fact, Christian. Many offsets of True Christianity do not align with what the Bible tells us about Jesus.
Q. Given the statistics mentioned, why do you think the number of self-proclaimed Christians has decreased over the past 50 years? What factors or societal changes might have contributed to this trend?
There are many false teachings about who Jesus is. Jesus warns us about this.
Matthew 7:15-16 (ESV)
Jesus spoke more about Hell than He spoke about Heaven. Thirteen percent of His sayings were about Hell or eternal Judgement.
Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV); John 11:25-26 (ESV)
There are two qualifiers to get into Heaven: Those who do the Father’s will and those that are known by Jesus.
The Will of God is:
- That you believe in Jesus as the Christ.
John 6:28-29 (ESV)
We start to understand God’s will when we start believing in the True Jesus of the Bible, not the Jesus we are comfortable with.
Q. What are some common misconceptions or misinterpretations of Jesus that you or others may have had before becoming a believer?
2. That you grow in Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV); 2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
The will of God is not just about coming to church, doing good deeds, and serving on a serve team, though those are good things. However, they must be done with the right motivation.
Q. Reflecting on the importance of having the right motivation, how can we ensure that our actions (such as attending church, doing good deeds, and serving) are rooted in a genuine love for God and others? What are some indicators or signs that can help us assess our motivations?
3. That you become Christlike.
Romans 8:29 (ESV); Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
There are seven attributes of Jesus that we should strive to have: Wisdom, Knowledge, Patience, Charity, Humility, Obedience, and Love.
Today, it is common for many individuals to incorporate a fraction of Jesus into their lives. While they may identify as Christians, their transformation remains absent.
How to be known by Jesus:
Learn About Him and know Him. We learn about God in His word. His character is evident throughout the Bible. God has given us the Scriptures to reveal His nature.
John 17:3 (ESV)
When Jesus utters the phrase “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23), the word “knew” carries a profound meaning as in “knowing” someone intimately. This level of intimacy is frequently used to describe the depth of relationships in our lives, as in marriage.
This is why this Movement is not a religion but a relationship. It should be the most important relationship in our lives!
- Spend time with Him and listen to Him.
James 4:8
If we want to get to know someone, we will spend more time with them. The more time we spend with others, the more we get to know them.
Q. How can we create space in our lives to cultivate a deeper relationship with Jesus? What obstacles or distractions might hinder our ability to spend quality time with Him, and how can we overcome them?
2. Love Him and appreciate His love.
1 Corinthians 8:3 (ESV)
Love is an act. We desire His love and appreciate His love. We fall in love with Him and show Him that we love Him by appreciating the love He has for us.
3. Act like Him and less like yourself.
Galatians 4:9 (ESV)
If we put time into learning more about Him, if we spend more time with Him, truly love Him, and start acting more like Him, our relationship with Him will look different than it does currently.
Q. Reflecting on the concept of love in our relationship with Jesus, how can we cultivate a genuine love for Him and truly appreciate His love for us? In what tangible ways can we express our love for Him and develop a heart of gratitude?
God wants to know us, and He wants us to know Him.
This is why He came in the form of Jesus. If we want Heaven over Hell, we need to do the will of God and believe in His Son.
Challenge: Invest time this week to nurture and strengthen your relationship with Jesus. Dedicate yourself to cultivating a vibrant spiritual life by engaging in intentional practices such as spending a few extra minutes each day reading the Bible, extending your prayer time, and embracing other disciplines that draw you closer to Him.
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