14 Jan First Things First | Part 1 “A Healthy Heart Begins With A Heart For God”
“A HEALTHY HEART BEGINS WITH A HEART FOR GOD”.
Key Verse: Mark 12:28-34 ESV
2018 will not go according to our plans.
Salvation (” SOZO”) is MORE than just getting to heaven, it’s about godly health.
Salvation means:
Preserve our inner being (Heart).
Snatch someone from serious peril (Soul).
Keep the spark of fire from going out (Mind).
Be cured or saved from illness (Body).
ONE: A HEART FOR GOD STOPS TRYING TO GET GOD ON YOUR SIDE.
Jesus doesn’t take sides. He is God. He is not taking our side, He is not on our side or against our side. Jesus is over all of us. God has a plan and we need to get on top of it. Instead of asking God to bless what we are doing, we should be asking Him what He wants to do in our lives. He will bring things we don’t want into our lives.
Q. How has God used a difficult situation or difficult people to develop you in areas of your life that needed to be developed?
GOD’S ULTIMATE PLAN IS BIGGER THAN MY PREFERENCES.
TWO: A HEART FOR GOD STOPS TRYING TO JUSTIFY YOUR OWN GOODNESS BEFORE HIM.
This man realized he could never offer enough to love Jesus the way he should. He could not justify his love for Him. We all have self justification projects in our life. We try to justify who we are so God will bless us.
Q. What are some self justifications examples you can give pertaining to your own life that you feel God blesses because of them (i.e. not swearing, speeding, going to church, being nice etc.) and why?
A HEART FOR GOD STOPS THE ” SELF JUSTIFICATION” PROJECTS AND COMES TO HIM WITH AN OPEN HEART IN NEED OF GRACE.
We need to learn that what comes at us, God is using for us. Everything God gives us is a sign of His grace.
THREE: A HEART FOR GOD TAKES WHATEVER NEXT STEPS GOD SETS BEFORE US.
Jesus tells this man He is not far from the kingdom of God. He is saying you have taken the next step. Faith is not checking off a bunch of boxes. Faith in Christ is a journey.
Q. What is your Next Step (baptism, serving, foster care) and why are you hesitant to take that next step in your journey with Christ?
JESUS TOOK ALL THE STEPS NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR STEPS WERE POSSIBLE.
Pray for each other, the lost, campuses, nation and leaders.
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