TEXT: Mark 9:14-29

The crisis moments in our life do not create faith they reveal where our faith rests.

I. THE CONFRONTATION OF JESUS

Living out our faith is not some formula or following some process; faith is putting all our hope and trust in the Lord and then living a life of full obedience to him.

Proverbs 3:5-7

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”

Hebrews 11:1
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

How you live out your faith will directly impact your family!

II. THE CRY OF A DESPERATE FATHER

Ephesians 6:12
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

The Satanic Agenda

1. The Distortion of God’s Word
2. The Destruction of God’s Creation
3. The Death of Godly Influence

I Peter 5:8
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

I Corinthians 15:34
“Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”

Until we are willing to humbly bow down and be honest with Christ, we will never be able to rise up or help anyone!

III. THE CASTING OUT OF THE DEMON

Your home may well be gripped by the forces of hell but Jesus Christ has conquered death and hell; he has broken the power of sin and Satan!

John 5:24
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

Only Jesus has the power to restore life and give back what the enemy had taken.

IV. THE CURE TO THE PROBLEM

Psalm 90:10
“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

Psalm 90:12
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Love Jesus, live your life in humble dependence on Him and lead your family well.

TEXT: Mark 8:27-38

I. A QUESTION THAT DEMANDS AN ANSWER

Jesus wasn’t concerned about the opinions of people but about the confession of individuals.

Matthew 16:17
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.”

It is the work of the Spirit of God that reveals to us who Jesus is!

Until you are convinced about Jesus, you will have a very hard time trying to convince anyone else about Jesus.

II. A DOUBLE REBUKE

Jesus didn’t come to lead a rebellion or start a revolution; He came to ransom and redeem the souls of men, to rise victoriously over death and the grave, and to one day return and reign as King of King and Lord of Lords.

Trying to pursue the American dream, as a Christian, will make following Jesus appear like a nightmare.

John 6:67-69
“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

III. A DEFINITION OF DISCIPLESHIP

Quote:
“Taking up your cross means for you to die to self-determination, die to control of your own life, die to using Jesus for your agenda.” Tim Keller

Discipleship is a question of whether you see following Jesus as an eternal investment or a waste of your current living.

No praise we ever receive in this life is worth the eternal disapproval of God. No possession gained in this life is worth destroying your own soul.

TEXT: Mark 8:27-38

I. A QUESTION THAT DEMANDS AN ANSWER

Jesus wasn’t concerned about the opinions of people but about the confession of individuals.

Matthew 16:17
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.”

It is the work of the Spirit of God that reveals to us who Jesus is!

Until you are convinced about Jesus, you will have a very hard time trying to convince anyone else about Jesus.

II. A DOUBLE REBUKE

Jesus didn’t come to lead a rebellion or start a revolution; He came to ransom and redeem the souls of men, to rise victoriously over death and the grave, and to one day return and reign as King of King and Lord of Lords.

Trying to pursue the American dream, as a Christian, will make following Jesus appear like a nightmare.

John 6:67-69
“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.”

III. A DEFINITION OF DISCIPLESHIP

Quote:
“Taking up your cross means for you to die to self-determination, die to control of your own life, die to using Jesus for your agenda.” Tim Keller

Discipleship is a question of whether you see following Jesus as an eternal investment or a waste of your current living.

No praise we ever receive in this life is worth the eternal disapproval of God. No possession gained in this life is worth destroying your own soul.

TEXT: Psalm 126

One of the dangers we face as believers is to grow accustomed to the greatness of our God!

James 1:17
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

I Timothy 6:17
“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”

The obsession to obtain more will not only obstruct our view of God’s greatness in will lead us to overthrow God from the throne of our heart.

God can bring you from a place of captivity to a place of celebration.

I. REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THE PAST

The more you realize how lost you really were the greater God will continue to become in your life!

In a world filled with sorrow and struggle the song of the Saints should be heard!

Gladness is a discipline.

Hebrews 12:11
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”

Gladness is a decision.

Gladness is a delight.

II. RELY ON GOD FOR THE FUTURE

Our future is filled with hope!

Refuse to allow what you see and feel now, to deter you from your work or redefine the great things God has promised he will do in the future.

TEXT: Mark 8:1-26

There is no lack of evidence to prove who Jesus is but there is a lack of understanding by so many people.

I. A REMINDER THAT JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

The greater compassion of Christ is seen not just because the people had nothing to eat but that their souls were starving for truth.

John 6:48-51
“I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

II. A WARNING ON BEING RELIGIOUS

If you’re looking to find fault and a reason not to believe in Jesus you surely will find one. Your big head will lead to a hard heart.

Come to Jesus in humility and he will never turn you way. Come in arrogance and Jesus will walk away.

A little unbelief can lead to a very hard heart.

Galatians 5:9
“A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”

Truth learned and not lived out leads to a life of hypocrisy and arrogance.

Ephesians 4:18
“Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”

III. A LESSON IN SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS

Without divine intervention and divine illumination we are doomed to a life of darkness.

I Corinthians 2:14
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Only Jesus can turn our blindness into brightness!

TEXT: Psalm 125

In the midst of a world filled with chaos, knowing who God is and what He has promised enables us to live a life with incredible confidence.

Psalm 62:8
“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

God has a perfect track record of trustworthiness.

I. ANCHOR YOUR TRUST IN THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD

Quote:
“Our problem today is that we have substituted relativism, pragmatism, existentialism, pantheism, and many other ‘isms’ in the place of absolute truth. But all of these ‘isms’ will become ‘wasims’ one day when they are ultimately confronted with God’s absolute truth.” Tony Evans

In God’s presence we find the protection we seek.

II. ALL WICKEDNESS IS ONLY TEMPORAL

Our security is guaranteed and is not based on our performance but on the promises of the Lord.

We need to remember to look beyond the immediate and focus on the ultimate!

I Corinthians 2:9
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

III. GOD WILL ANSWER THE PRAYERS OF HIS PEOPLE

Those who truly have their confidence in God will also commune with God.

Peace is not the absence of conflict it is the presence of Christ in the midst of our chaos.

Philippians 4:6, 7
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Our confidence in this chaotic world comes through Christ as we run to Him, rely on Him and take refuge in Him!

Text: Mark 7:31-37

The God given ability to speak is a gift that we often take for granted or tend to use for our own purposes.

People who like to talk about themselves display who they are in love with!

Sigh language is the one language that everybody speaks and understands.

Romans 8:22
“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

I. Jesus Knows What It Means To Be Disabled

Jesus willingly disabled Himself so that we would be able to have eternal life.

Philippians 2:6-8
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

II. Jesus Demonstrates His Power Over Sin

The power Jesus has over sin comes with a price.

III. Jesus Declares That A Prophecy Has Been Fulfilled

When God gives an announcement of impending doom he almost always gives a word of future hope!

Jesus didn’t come to bring judgment he came to bear the judgment of God!

IV. Jesus Does All Things Well

In a world filled with sighs and sorrows, where disabilities abound, Jesus not only speaks our language but He laid down his life for our salvation.