Following Jesus Son of God …

God versus Goliath!

You will see below that I have titled this week’s message “God Versus Goliath.” So am I just being cute, an attention grabber, maybe a feeble attempt to be clever …

Or could I be onto something?

You see I do believe that the title describes the event very well. David was God’s man for the job, but David himself said that “the battle is the LORD’s.”

We would do very well to remember that when confronting the giants we face today. As you will be able to see in the study sheets:

• The battle is the LORD’s,
• The victory is the LORD’s,
• And the only plans that stand are ________________ (fill in the blank).

That is reality. Not our voices of fear and panic when it comes to our government and the affairs of this world.

Do you know what David’s greatest weapon was? His trust in the LORD.

That has not changed. About thirty centuries later this still holds true. Our greatest weapon against the darkness, against the schemes of the enemy is our complete trust in God to be God.

I am a five-smooth-stones type of person. Bible is what I am about. Bible, Bible, Bible … You may call me simplistic, but God doesn’t.

“It’s complicated” … 
We hear that a lot it seems. But the truth is that often “it’s complicated” is merely our attempt to muddy the waters. God really is as wise as he tells us. If we listened more closely, we would know that.

David was a young man, a shepherd, standing in the gap against a violent man of war. How and why did David stand? Because of his trust in God and his greatness!

After the giant breathed his terrifying threats, David said rather matter-of-factly it seems:

• Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel (1 Samuel 17:46 NLT)!

And …

• And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands (1 Samuel 17:47 KJV).

Wow!

Message Title: God Versus Goliath!

Message Text: 1 Samuel 17

• PDF 2 God Versus Goliath : 1 Samuel 17 : ffc : dave scott : 091315 AM STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF 2 God Versus Goliath : 1 Samuel 17 : ffc : dave scott : 091315 AM STUDY SHEET TWO

“God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭47:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/psa.47.8.nlt

SUNDAY AM

God Versus the Wolves

Matthew 10:16-39

MP3: God Versus the Wolves : Matthew 10:16-39 : ffc : dave scott : 083015 AM

——————————

SUNDAY PM

God Versus the Enemy

Ephesians 6:10-20

MP3: God Versus the Enemy : Ephesians 6:10-20 : ffc : dave scott : 083015 PM

• God answers our questions as only God can.

• What is our Shepherd’s course of action in view of a world that grows darker by the day? How does he prepare us? He tells us that he is sending us out as sheep among the wolves.

• Amazing message this week as we look at Matthew 10:16-39.

___________________________________

The LORD is my shepherd;

He provides everything I need.

He finds places of quietness and refreshment for my soul.

He directs my life to right acts in the name of God.

And even when facing death in the valley of the wolves,

I’m not afraid.

Why would I be?

My shepherd is with me,

and he comforts me by his great power and authority.

He showers his abundance on me every single day,

even in the presence of dark enemies.

He treats me as royalty. My life overflows.

And now goodness and mercy are everywhere,

following me like faithful hounds.

And I get to live with God forever.

________________________________

Message: God Versus the Wolves!

Message Text: Matthew 10:16-39

• PDF Sent Out as Sheep Among Wolves : Matthew 10-16-39 : ffc : dave scott : 083015 AM STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF Sent Out as Sheep Among Wolves : Matthew 10-16-39 : ffc : dave scott : 083015 AM STUDY SHEET TWO

Hello Everyone,

Our last message in Romans. Quite a ride. Amazing salvation.

To God be the glory!

The gospel-powered life is the God-directed life is the to-God-be-the-glory-life!

MP3: LESSON 43 To God Be the Glory : Romans 16:24-27 : FFC : dave scott : 082315

Hello All,

Did you know that the gospel brings freedom to God also? The gospel throws the door wide open, frees God to pour his fullness into our lives: his holiness, righteousness, love, mercy, grace, truth, everything. We are back in God’s plans because he brought salvation to us. He has dealt with our sin because we could not; thoroughly and completely through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

So no more holding back because of the darkness of our sin and our unrighteousness. To those who believe, that has all been more than taken care of through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

That is why we preach Jesus Christ and nothing else. There is no other gospel. No other plan. No other way.

It comes down to this: The sinfulness of humans and the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Compromise either, leave either out, and you have no gospel that will stand before the Consuming Fire.

However, embrace God’s clear message of forgiveness and redemption, and past the sky is the limit in the eternal plan of God.

Gospel-powered saints, living the high life. That’s who we are … at least that’s who we should be as we grow in our understanding of the abundance of life that God brings to us through Jesus Christ.

This week it’s all about the gospel and the glory of God. We are to be gospel-powered saints, living by faith, enjoying the “ride” as we share the path with the only wise God.

Before him we fall down in worship. To him we give the glory. Nothing else is appropriate.

Message Title: To God Be the Glory!

Message Text: Romans 16:25-27

• PDF LESSON 43 To God Be the Glory : Romans 16:24-27 : FFC : dave scott : 082315 STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 43 To God Be the Glory : Romans 16:24-27 : FFC : dave scott : 082315 STUDY SHEET TWO

What makes a false teacher a false teacher?

As we think through this our minds may go to what seems to be the most obvious. His teaching is untrue. Or he is evil and diabolical. Or he has fallen for the schemes of the devil. And all of those things may be true.

But that is not what makes him.

Those things are not the driving force behind the false teacher. Not the root issue. And we need to understand the root issue, the most underlying, fundamental characteristic of the false teacher, to be best prepared to watch for him and to avoid him.

So what is this root issue, this fundamental characteristic?

At the core of a false teacher is a person who serves himself first, above and before all others including God.

(We will see this in our text this morning.)

On the surface this may seem harmless enough or even insignificant. But you have to understand that the self-server, with his only concern being his personal interests, that anything and everything are at his disposal. Both sides of the line. Good, bad, evil, righteous, truth, lie. It doesn’t matter.

The only thing that matters to the self-serving false teacher is this: Does it serve my purpose to fulfill me, my interests and my needs.

This person will go to any lengths to forward his agenda. Teach truth? Sure. Teach the Bible? Even better.

And before we go to our text this morning, one more question.

Why do people fall for false teachers?

Answer? Because they tell us what we want to hear.

Message Title: Watch Out for False Teachers!

Message Text: Romans 16:17-23

MP3: LESSON 42 Watch Out for False Teachers – Romans 16:17-23 FFC dave scott 081615

Hello All,

Watch out for them! Avoid them!

Paul is urgent in our text this week.

• (Romans 16:17 NIV84) I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

• (Romans 16:17 The Message) One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth.

Even though Paul warns us of savage wolf attacks (Acts 20:28–32), we so often think, “But not us. Not in our fellowship. No one here would be a false teacher. We are nice folks.”

And, yet, here in his final comments in Romans, Paul warns us of these very things.

So maybe we should take notice?

God in his wisdom is telling us to sit up and take notice. To watch out for false teachers. And to avoid false teachers.

Yes, we could go to the extreme and carry out witch hunts, finding a false teacher under every spiritual rock. Some do that. But that is not the norm. Usually we do the opposite. Sometimes we more interested in being nice … and courteous … than being faithful to God and his word.

And our churches suffer for it.

Why is Paul so urgent? Because it really does come down to heaven or hell.

Is “close enough good enough”? No!
Paul tells us that these people use smooth talk and flattery to deceive the unsuspecting. False teachers know what we like to hear. They say things close enough, and because we do not listen carefully to what is actually being said, then way too often close enough is good enough.

Maybe good enough for church on earth but not good enough before the throne of God!

Once in heaven, we will never again have the opportunity to stand in light and love against the darkness of sin. So what will it be?

• PDF LESSON 42 Watch Out for False Teachers : Romans 16-17-23 : FFC : dave scott : 081615 STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 42 Watch Out for False Teachers : Romans 16-17-23 : FFC : dave scott : 081615 STUDY SHEET TWO

Calling a spade a spade.

• In Joseph Devlin’s book How to Speak and Write Correctly (1910) … where he satirized speakers who chose their words to show superiority: For instance, you may not want to call a spade a spade. You may prefer to call it a spatulous device for abrading the surface of the soil. Better, however, to stick to the old familiar, simple name that your grandfather called it.

Let’s call a spade a spade. I am speaking of false prophets.

I am wearied by people who claim to speak for the LORD but who refuse to address the true needs of God’s Church and our world.

I am wearied by people who play loose with the text, with their word choice, with their biblical exposition and their logic.

I am wearied by people who in general are not careful to tremble before God and his word as we approach him for divine truth.

And I am sometimes wearied by how hesitant we are as the people of God to call a spade a spade, or in this case a false prophet a false prophet.

This evening we are going to look at what is possibly the most dominant characteristic of a false prophet.

Message Title: False Prophets Who Whitewash 

Message Text: Ezekiel 13

MP3: Ezekiel 13 : False Prophets Who Whitewash : ffc : dave scott : 080215 PM

Do we really want the fullness of God? The fullness of God means that God takes over.

What we typically want from God is an add-on, a supplement, a boost, a little something extra to make this life better. We want everything we can get without God taking over our lives.

You have probably heard the expression—“Lead, follow or get out of the way.” But an old Baptist preacher I heard just last week presented it this way: “Lead, follow or get out of the way? No … Just follow … Jesus … Just follow Jesus!”

Follow Jesus. Wherever. Whenever. Follow Jesus. Good times, bad times. Follow Jesus. Have little or have much, follow Jesus. Shipwreck. Beatings. Prison. Follow Jesus. Change my plans, redo my schedule? Follow Jesus.

Do you want to walk in the fullness of the blessing of Christ? Guess what? Follow Jesus.

Message Title: Walking in the Fullness of the Blessing of Christ!

Message Text: Romans 15:22-16:16

MP3: LESSON 41 Walking in the Fullness of the Blessing of Christ : Romans 15:22-16:16 : FFC : dave scott : 080215