message
more money, deeper love, and overflowing blessings in 2017!
Part 3 "Overflowing Blessings"
what are you believing for this year?
This message encourages us to dedicate our deepest desires to The Lord. Pastor Shannon invited everyone to write down the top 3 things they were believing for in 2017 and pin them to our board. We will pray over them for the next few weeks, then take them home, and put them in a place where we can see them everyday.
In line with the scripture in Matthew where Peter was called out upon the water. When he kept his eyes on Jesus, he could withstand any storm and do the impossible!
pastor shannon's notes
“How to have more money, deeper love,
and overflowing blessings in 2017”
James 4:2
James 4:3, you ask with wrong motives
John 16:24 AMP; ask and keep asking, read from screen
Difference between “getting things” and “receiving things”
Getting things puts the burden on us because we have to figure out how to manipulate circumstances to make them work out the way we want them to. But the Bible talks about receiving, not getting. We receive by faith, not through works. This is difficult for most people because we’re taught in the world that we have to earn what we get.
“ If you're struggling with life, chances are you haven't freely received God's gifts… ”
But God is not for sale. We can’t buy, earn or deserve Him. His gifts – forgiveness, mercy, grace, favor, salvation – are free. And we could never do enough to earn them or deserve them. Jesus paid the price that we could never pay to provide these gifts for us. We simply have to receive them!
Joyce Meyer Story:
I used to have a religious attitude and believed that my good works made me deserving of God’s goodness. This actually kept me from receiving God’s blessings because I was trying to earn them. I was judgmental and critical of others, too, and would get frustrated when someone who didn’t seem deserving of it in my eyes was blessed.
I remember a long time ago I had a neighbor who was also a friend, but I didn’t think she was as spiritual as me. She didn’t go to church as much as I did; she didn’t pray as much as I did; she didn’t give as much as I did. Well, at the time, I was praying for God to give me a fur coat. I wanted one so badly. Then one day she came over with a huge box in her hands. She was so excited! She said, “You won’t believe what God gave me!” She opened that box and there was my fur coat! A woman we both knew had just delivered it to her, saying God told her to give her the coat.
Immediately, I was so angry and jealous. But I responded the way a good Christian would, saying, “Praise the Lord! I’m so happy for you!” At the same time I was thinking, God, You’ve got to get her out of my house. How could You possibly give her that coat? It’s not fair. What about me?!
My heart wasn’t right. My motives were selfish. God wanted to bless me with His gifts, but I couldn’t receive them if I kept trying to earn them or deserve them. I had to learn to just receive.
We all need to ask God for His love, forgiveness, mercy, grace… Just say, “God, please bless me. I receive Your blessings in my life, not because I’m good and have earned them, but because You are good!” Then your joy will be full.
Psalm 37:4; delight yourself in the Lord…
2 Corinth 9:8 Read my version (NIV) then the rest
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
abound is the root word for abundance. every good work is what you DO. You will have abundance in ALL you do!
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;
[Band comes back on stage]
Ephesians 3:20 tells us that He wants to do abundantly above and beyond ALL that we could ever ask or think,
What are you believing for in 2017?
write down what believing for
post on cork board
Ephesians 3:20 tells us that He wants to do abundantly above and beyond ALL that we could ever ask or think, but there’s a clincher in this verse…it’s according to His work within us. To the extent that He’s allowed to work in us, will be the extent that He does great things through us.
I envisioned a valley of dry bones. Bones from marriages, relationships, and dreams abandoned because many people refused to die to themselves, to humble themselves, and to let God have His way in their lives.
Don’t let your dream die in the valley!
We’re in a season of refining, and growing….. lean in. Trust the loving hand of your precious Savior and know that He will lead you to the other side. Refuse a sense of entitlement and don’t demand to be understood.
Instead, humble yourself and seek to understand what the Lord is doing around you.
LETS PRESS INTO WORSHIP ONCE MORE….
A Prayer for the Ephesians
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.