Difficult People Message Series Resources

Difficult People:  How to Deal with Critical People
key verse:  2 Samuel 16:5-13
1.  Respond, don't react
2.  Stay focused on your purpose
3.  Find God's good in the criticism
    "there is often a kernal of truth in every criticism"
4.  Allow God and others to handle your critics

Difficult People:  How to Deal with Overly Needy People
key verse:  Matthew 9:36
1.  Love them where they are
2.  Help when God leads you to help
3.  Remember that "No" can be a loving answer
      "Saying Yes to one means you are saying No to others"
4.  Seek God's approval alone


Diffiult People:  How to Deal with Manipulators 
key verses:  Galatians 1;10 and Proverbs 29:25
1.  Pray Up, Read Up!
2.  Prepare to be challenged
3.  Respectfully say "NO" to manipulators
4.  Trust God’s view of you

Here is a link to a handout related to the the April 24th message.
Manipulation.pdf

Sermon notes for God's Christmas Plan Part 2: Predicted Pain for Our Gain

God’s Christmas Plan Part 2:  Predicted Pain for Our Gain
Isaiah 53:1-6
December 14, 2014

Isaiah 53:1-6

-God intended all along to save us from our sins

-He revealed this over 500 years before Jesus came into the world

Luke 24:25-27  Jesus used the Old Testament to explain that his suffering was predicted

Acts 8:34-35  Philip explains the Good News with the Old Testament scriptures
-The first New Testament writings didn't exist at that time!

Modern “Appearances” of Jesus

People trust the craziest "appearances" 
-5 picture examples of the "image of Christ":  a wall, iron, another wall, toast,  and a toasted cheese sandwich.

-these are some freaky phenomenons that have gained many devotees.  

Personally, my faith is based on far more solid evidence than burnt images in modern day items that resemble the picture of Jesus that doesn’t even exist!

History or Hoax?

Highlighted in The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Altered Stories

-did writers fabricate details to make it appear that Jesus fulfilled OT?

-the gospels would have been corrected by all the eye witnesses

-why would Matthew have allowed himself to be put to death for a lie?

Intentional Fulfillment

-did Jesus maneuver His life in a way to fulfill prophecy?

-example:  ride donkey into Jerusalem, others

-but, impossible to manipulate “30 pieces of silver, birth date

    Daniel 9:24-26 predicted when Jesus would arrive!

Taken Out of Context

-do Christians cherry pick OT verses to prove Jesus is the Messiah?

-this is a tired argument dismisses countless scholars and historians

-over 2000 years and we haven’t found any true basis for this theory

Coincidence

-did Jesus “accidentally” fulfill all these prophecies?

-could there be, or have there been others who fit the predictions?

-read excerpt from Case for Christ, page 183

-it is a staggering mathematical impossibility for even 8 prophecies to be fulfilled in one mane to be merely coincidence!  

-Jesus fulfilled over 100 clearly identifiable Old Testament prophecies!

God’s Christmas Plan:  Predicted Pain for Our Gain

Isaiah 53:6   “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has   

    turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of

    us all”   

-Every one of us was a born sinner, straying from what is right

-We are all unable to find our way apart from divine intervention

-Jesus entered the world to take away all of our sins

-God’s plan was bear the punishing pain of crucifixion for our gain, to be our substitute!

Have I examined God’s plan?

How do my plans compare?

Am I ready to trust God’s plan?

-For seekers:  Surrender my life to Jesus Christ

-For beleivers:  Repent and return to Jesus Christ

sermon notes for God's Christmas Plan: Part 1- Planned All Along

Here are the notes from Sunday, December 7, 2014

God’s Christmas Plan

Part 1:  Planned All Along

Intro

God made a plan for us before we existed

-Jesus is God’s Christmas Plan for everyone

Jesus is and always has been the Plan

Jesus never claimed to be a "good teacher or "good man"

-He is either the Lord, a Liar or a Lunatic

Jesus is Coming…

Josh McDowell- The OT contains over 300 references to the Messiah that were fulfilled in Jesus.

A sample of Bible references...

Genesis 3:15

-God’ promise to Eve

-Jesus would descend from a woman, not a man

Genesis 49:9-10

-Jacob blesses his son Judah

-vs 10  scepter will not depart from Judah…

2 Samuel 7:16  promise to David

-house, kingdom, throne…will endure forever

-see also Psalm 89:3-4  and Ezekiel 34:23-24

Isaiah 7:14

-The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name Him Immanuel

Isaiah 9:6-7

-for a child will be born for us…

Daniel 7:13-14

-prophecy of Jesus, ruler of the eternal kingdom

Micah 5:2

-Bethlehem predicted to be the birthplace of Jesus

Foreshadows of Jesus…

Adam- the first Adam fell

-Jesus was the perfect Adam who saved us from our fall

Abel- the first innocent blood shed, cried out for condemnation

-Jesus shed his truly innocent blood, crying out for our acquittal 

Abraham  called out to begin a chosen people on earth to glorify God

-Jesus established a new people of all nations who will glorify God

Isaac- who was offered up as a sacrifice to God by his father

-Jesus became the perfect sacrifice who paid for our sins on the cross

Jacob- wrestled with God and asked for His blessing

-Jesus wrestled for us all to give us an eternal blessing

Joseph- who forgave his brothers for how they wronged him

-Jesus died to forgive us of all our wrongdoings against Him

Moses – who stood in the gap between the people and the Lord

-Jesus stands in the gap forever between us and God

-Jesus clothes us with righteousness, reconciles us to God forever

Job- who suffered and brought glory to the Lord

-Jesus is the truly innocent sufferer who intercedes for us

David- the great victor over Goliath

-Jesus won the ultimate victory over the enemy of death and hell

Jonah- buried in the whale three days, came back to life

-Jesus was buried in a tomb, resurrected three days later to give us life

And then came Jesus!

-the innocent “Passover Lamb” whose blood covers our sins and redeems us from death, the true Prophet, Priest, King, Sacrifice, Light,

The Old Testament was God’s wake-up call: Jesus is coming!

Are we listening to God? 

How many times has God revealed Himself to us?

-through the Bible

-through Godly people in our lives

-through circumstances

-through the inner prompting of God’s Spirit

How many times have I resisted God's prompting to...

-put my faith in Jesus Christ?

-renew my faith in Jesus Christ?

Planned All Along!

God always had a plan

God prepares us for His plan

Am I trusting His plan?