Following Jesus Son of God …

• Three Dollars Worth of God by Wilbur Rees
  I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk, or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of God to make me love a black man, or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.

You have probably heard the expression—”Lead, follow or get out of the way.”

But an old Baptist preacher I heard last week put it this way: “Lead, follow or get out of the way? No. Just follow. Jesus. Just follow Jesus!”

The Apostle Paul was good at just that. Following Jesus. Wherever. Whenever. Follow Jesus. Good times, bad times, follow Jesus. Have little or have much, follow Jesus. Shipwreck. Beatings. Prison. Follow Jesus.

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

• By Steve Highlander
  Some people think that God is a good thing to include in your life as long as He really doesn’t get in the way or require too many changes. As long as the cost isn’t too great, God is given His place—right beside all the other activities and obligations that vie for our attention.

  We are tempted to think we can get out of God what we put into Him. If I want a little more I can give a little more. I can read a few extra pages in the Bible, say an extra prayer, go to church a bit more. However, God is not for sale at any price.

Message Title: Taking Care of Business: Walking in the Fullness of the Blessing of Christ

Message Text: Romans 15:22-16:16

• PDF LESSON 41 Taking Care of Business- Walking in the Fullness of the Blessing of Christ : Romans 15:22-16:16 : FFC : dave scott : 080215 STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 41 Taking Care of Business- Walking in the Fullness of the Blessing of Christ : Romans 15:22-16:16 : FFC : dave scott : 080215 STUDY SHEET TWO

• (Romans 4:17 NLT) That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.” This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

In today’s text the Apostle Paul writes: “I am convinced of your goodness.”

• (Romans 15:14 NIV84) I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

In one sense, this week’s message is a very important lesson about our freedom in Christ. And that is our freedom to speak to the goodness and the badness of one another. Without feeling like hypocrites or liars or fakes or flatterers.

• I believe that we will see today that Paul provides a biblical approach in our relationships which deals with both the depravity of humankind and the redemption of God. Our goodness and our badness.

And we need this biblical perspective to develop our ability to build one another up in the faith. We need to know and live these truths so we build up and not tear down our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are very good. And we can be horrid. This is consistent with our biblical identity while we are “still in process.” Never to be used as an excuse but still very true.

Our problem is that we sometimes forget where we came from.

The beginning of our spiritual journey was death. We started at dead. Jesus saved us from dead. This is a problem for some people. They don’t know where a true gospel story begins. So not knowing their beginning they have a much more difficult time understanding the goodness and the badness of their lives.

Have you heard the expression, “I’m in pretty good shape for the shape I’m in”?

Well, we are in pretty good shape considering that when we started we were dead, and now God is transforming us into his new creation which will be beyond measure in beauty and awesomeness. We are going to be like Christ. God says.

MP3: LESSON 40 : Full of Goodness : Romans 15:14-21 : FFC : dave scott : 071915

Hello All,

“I am convinced of your goodness.”

That’s what the Apostle Paul says, “I am convinced of your goodness.” He was writing to church people, and he said it with a straight face.

In one sense, this week’s message is about freedom. Possibly an area of our freedom where we seldom venture, but freedom nonetheless.

We now have freedom to tell each other how great we are. Without feeling like hypocrites or liars or flatterers. The Apostle Paul does just that in this week’s text.

• (Romans 15:14 NASB95) And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.

No sugar coating. Definitely not flattery or positive thinking nonsense. But strong, true, biblical words of praise to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Of course this has to be true to say it with sincerity, but it is true much more than we realize.

Our problem is that we forget where we came from. The beginning of our spiritual journey was death. We started at dead. Jesus saved us from dead. This is a problem for some people. They don’t know where a true gospel story begins. So not knowing their beginning they have a much more difficult time understanding why we (as in Christians) are the way we are.

We have a hard time commending a person for his or her goodness when we know that at times they are still downright awful.

Have you heard the expression, “I’m in pretty good shape for the shape I’m in”?

Well, we are in pretty good shape considering that when we started we were dead, and now God is transforming us into his new creation which will be beyond measure in beauty and awesomeness. We are going to be like Christ. God says.

• (1 John 3:2–3 ESV) Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

So Paul commends them for their goodness, but he doesn’t pretend that everything is wonderful.

• (Romans 15:15 ESV) But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God.

They may be full of goodness but they are still full of other stuff too. Just like us.

So we must adopt a biblical approach in our relationships. We must acknowledge the goodness and the badness in our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is biblical. This is sound doctrine based on the depravity of humankind and the redemption of God.

• You’ve heard Longfellow’s poem “There Was A Little Girl”:
  THERE was a little girl, And she had a little curl,
  Right in the middle of her forehead.
  When she was good, She was very, very good,
  And when she was bad she was horrid.

To grow in our ability to build one another up in the faith, we need to know and live these truths. We are very good. And we can be horrid. This is consistent with our biblical identity while “still in process.” Never to be used as an excuse but still true.

This goodness and badness concept is very freeing as we relate to each other. For me personally, God uses it to build perspective and patience.

And, of course, these things only apply to those who are actually believers in Jesus Christ and have received his gift of eternal life. If you are merely a fake, a pretender, then that is a sermon for a different day. In this Scripture Paul speaks to followers of Jesus, and he continues his emphasis on the edification ministry we have in the lives of fellow believers.

Message Title: Full of Goodness!

Message Text: Romans 15:14-21

• PDF LESSON 40 : Full of Goodness : Romans 15:14-21 : FFC : dave scott : 071915: STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 40 : Full of Goodness : Romans 15:14-21 : FFC : dave scott : 071915: STUDY SHEET TWO

• (Romans 15:13 ESV) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Oops! Have we forgotten that our God, the God of the Bible, is a God of hope?

• Maybe you’ve heard the story about the two churches located a few miles apart on the highway. Drive down the road past the first church and read their sign: “god is dead.” But drive a little farther down the highway to the next church. What does their sign say? “Our God Is Alive, Sorry about Yours!”

Well let me say today … Our God reigns. Sorry about yours.

• Sorry about your god whose purposes can be frustrated by the Supreme Court of this land. Sorry about your god whose power hangs in the balance on whether a Republican or a Democrat sits in the White House. Sorry about your god who allows the events of this world to rob you his worshiper of joy and peace. And very sorry about your impotent deity whose plan and purpose can be thwarted by mere humans.

But of course I’m not really sorry because that god is no god at all. Certainly not the God of the Bible. Our God, the God of the Bible, is a God of hope. He tells us that. And our God delivers on his promises!

• MP3: LESSON 39 : The God of Hope : Romans 15:8-13 : FFC : dave scott : 071215

Hello Everyone,

God is a God of hope. But could you tell that as you listen to us sometimes? Us as in Christians, people who profess to have been saved by Jesus Christ and living new life in him.

• (Romans 15:13) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

What is God’s desire for us? That we are filled with joy and peace and abound in hope.

Let me ask: Can God not do this? Is he incapable of overcoming the darkness of this world and giving us hope as he promises … no matter what?

I received a booklet–HOPE: Choosing Faith instead of Fear–by Bill Crowder via Our Daily Bread Ministries. I ordered a bundle, and we are passing them out this Sunday to everyone. Here is an excerpt.

• The “Hope Vacuum”
  During a recent economic downturn, I noticed how communities around the world were affected by dire evaluations of an impending global financial crisis. I listened as analysts forecasted troubled times. I felt the emotional weight of problems no one seemed able to solve.Yet when I was among followers of Christ, I saw that our fears, frustrations, and political polarization mirrored the outlook of the society around us. It was as if our conversations and moods had been scripted by broadcast and Internet financial reports. Our comment and attitudes carried the same fearful, angry tone as those who do not share our faith. Any evidence of hope seemed conspicuously absent.

I have observed this exact thing for years now. We scare one another to death with our stories of gloom and doom. We are angry and bitter when legislation does not go our way. News of the most recent ruling of the Supreme Court has filled many with anxiety and fear. We sin time and again in our dishonor and disrespect toward our president. And we do it in the name of God.

But here is what bothers me most. This is what we EXPECT to hear from each other. And this is SO ACCEPTED. We have sinned in this way for so long that many actually believe this is the godly way to react to these things. In fact, if someone doesn’t join in our misery, we think something is wrong with them, maybe even question their walk with God.

How ironic!

One woman after sitting through a class of impending doom exclaimed, “Well, I’m about scared to death now.”

Many of us draw more hope and joy from a Republican gaining the White House than the truth of God’s promise.

So who are we listening to if we come away from our sermons and Bible studies fearful, angry and overwhelmed by anxiety? Do we really think that is God’s message to us? Please show me those Scriptures. But you won’t because you can’t because they are not there.

What is in Scripture is the following concerning God’s desire for us.

• (Romans 15:13) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

What is God’s message? Joy, peace and abounding in hope. Faith in God. Believing him over the circumstances of our world and our lives personally.

Message Title: The God of Hope!

Message Text: Romans 15:8-13

• PDF LESSON 39 : The God of Hope : Romans 15-8-13 : FFC : dave scott : 071215: STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 39 : The God of Hope : Romans 15-8-13 : FFC : dave scott : 071215: STUDY SHEET TWO

Hello All,

Don’t know where my head was. Busy yesterday and today and spaced posting the study sheets.

Message Title: Not Pleasing Ourselves!

Message Text: Romans 15:1-7

• PDF LESSON 38 : Not Pleasing Ourselves : Romans 15:1-7 : FFC : dave scott : 070515: STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 38 : Not Pleasing Ourselves : Romans 15:1-7 : FFC : dave scott : 070515: STUDY SHEET TWO

SUNDAY AM

Message Title: Pursue What Makes for Peace

Message Text: Romans 14:13-23

• MP3: LESSON 37 : Pursue What Makes for Peace : Romans 14:13-23 : FFC : dave scott : 062815

SUNDAY PM

Message Title: Living in the Reality of Who We Are

Message Text: Psalm 37:21-40

• MP3: Psalm 37 PART TWO Living in the Reality of Who We Are : ffc : dave scott : 062815

I Will Praise You, O Lord

• I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High (Psalms 9:1-2 NKJV).

I will praise You, O LORD!

Lord, I am Your child … a pilgrim passing through this world looking for the city that You have promised. As You know, Father, I do not live this life perfectly, but one thing I commit to You, I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart.

You have given birth to praise in my life through the Lamb that was slain. You have created praise in me. You have caused it to happen.

So, when I climb the peak of the sun-crested mountain, I will praise You. And when I descend into the dark valley, I will praise You.

When I stand alone in the harsh desert, I will praise You.

I will praise you whether or not I can see, hear, smell, touch, laugh or hope.

I will praise You whether I feel loved and comforted or hated and rejected.

I will praise You through the ridicule and roar of the evil one.

When the smoke has cleared and the fire has done its work, when the dust of this life has settled, I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart because You are worthy of praise.

–dave scott

Hello All,

How do we handle things when we disagree over matters of conscience? Or even how do we identify which issues are matters of conscience?

Thanks to God we do not have to guess.

He has given very clear instructions. That is never the problem, however. The problem is that we tend to not listen, especially if we don’t agree.

Yip. That’s how we are. Said it out loud because it is so true. We have this “gift” you might say which allows us to identify the foibles and sins of the people around us very clearly, super-precise. Even throw the Bible in for good measure.

But us … Not so fast, Jack.

Many believers in Jesus Christ do not enjoy the peace he gives which he says is not like the world gives. Not dependent on circumstances or the economy. Only dependent on God.

And as we are prone to do, we just do not take his divine instruction to heart and often pay the price.

Specifically, we sow the seeds of war in our relationships and are broken-hearted when we reap the seeds of war instead of peace.

Romans 14 gives amazing instruction, very clear and precise instruction, as to how we handle the “hot topics” of our lives and still build relationships and honor God.

But we gotta’ listen. And we gotta’ obey.

Pursue the things that make for peace and God will produce in us righteousness and peace and joy.

If we do not have this fruit abundant in our lives, then we need to check what we are inputing into our lives via our actions and possibly mainly our words.

Message Title: Pursue What Makes for Peace!

Message Text: Romans 14:13-23

• PDF LESSON 37 : Pursue What Makes for Peace : Romans 14:13-23 : FFC : dave scott : 062815: STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 37 : Pursue What Makes for Peace : Romans 14:13-23 : FFC : dave scott : 062815: STUDY SHEET TWO
• PDF LESSON 37 : Pursue What Makes for Peace : Romans 14-13-23 : FFC : dave scott : 062815: STUDY SHEET THREE
• PDF LESSON 37 : Pursue What Makes for Peace : Romans 14-13-23 : FFC : dave scott : 062815: STUDY SHEET FOUR

Hello to You,

We continue our study in Romans this week, and the Apostle Paul speaks to matters of conscience.

• NOT SURPRISE YOU:
  –It will likely not surprise you if I informed you that Christians often do not get along with each other.

• MAY SURPRISE YOU:
  But it may surprise you when you see the specific information the Bible has to help us avoid these disagreements. The plan is quite simple. Don’t make things holy that God does not make holy. Don’t judge or despise God’s servants. And, maybe above all, live NOW as followers of Jesus who are fully aware that we will stand before God to give an account of OUR lives.

• PROBABLY NOT SURPRISE YOU:
  But it will probably not surprise you that as much as love God’s holy book the Bible, that we often do not choose to listen to God. As I said, the plan is quite simple, but people … not so much. We really struggle giving in to the sovereign care of God in matters that engulf us emotionally in the way these “hot topics” do.

We must have a clear picture of this moment in eternity in which we stand before God Most High. Not for fear, but for amazing joy and peace. Paul doesn’t write to us to scare us to death but to point us toward the tremendous blessing of trusting God in all things.

We are not going to be called to “the witness stand” to recollect someone else’s sins and shortcomings. We are going to stand before God to give an account of our lives. Picture the joy that we will share with our heavenly Father at that moment as he reveals tremendous “faith” highlights as we lived our life anticipating this amazing moment.

• PDF LESSON 36 : Each Person Gives an Account to God : Romans 14:1-12 : FFC : dave scott : 061415: STUDY SHEET ONE
• PDF LESSON 36 : Each Person Gives an Account to God : Romans 14:1-12 : FFC : dave scott : 061415: STUDY SHEET TWO
• PDF LESSON 36 : Each Person Gives an Account to God : Romans 14:1-12 : FFC : dave scott : 061415: STUDY SHEET THREE