SOAKED IN TRANSPARENCY: part 6

1John 5

October 19, 2008

with Adam Waters

Anybody tired of turning on the news? Stocks falling… negative campaign stuff… foreclosures… war… terrorism… wouldn’t it be a better life if we could live encouraged? I know that sometimes we come to the church service and feel like I’ve spent a long hard week and there seems to be no real good news… Then, Adam/Matt stands up there and tells me about all of the things I need to work on…
And growth can be painful! Look at what your kids go through as their little bodies go from infants, to children, to kids, to teens: cutting first teeth, molars coming in, leg cramps…and that doesn’t even involve the painful puberty years!
Growth is painful, but: Honest Christian growth can bring us the greatest encouragement!

PROMISES FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
You are God’s LOVE CHILD
· 5:1-2
· Belief is first… then relationship with the Father… then relationship with the other kids.
Your yoke is EASY.
· 5:3 – Obedience isn’t hard once it becomes routine (children, sports, school, etc.)
· Matthew 11:28-30
You are VICTORIOUS!
· 5:4-13 à Through faith and belief.
· We have life (in this life and the next) and do not have to face death.
Your prayers WILL BE ANSWERED.
· 5:14-17
· Ask for what pleases God (align your prayers with God’s will).
· He responds powerfully!
· Prayer for others is important when the actions are against other men.
You don’t have to SIN.
· 5:18-19
· God’s hold on your life can protect your heart and actions!
You can KNOW God and…UNDERSTAND His heart.
· 5:20-21
· MEKNOWN (intimate partnership) and KOINONIA (uniting for a common purpose) with God, not just with His church.
· When we’re in that place, the Spirit becomes our goalie J

As we near the end of our SOAKED them for 2008, we realize that we’ve really challenged you to grow spiritually this year. We’ve tried to stretch you and push you to a more intimate walk with the Father… a closer, deeper, more real relationship with Jesus. Though this has been tough maybe, the rewards are great. The encouragement is real!

Grow into the victorious child that God intends for you to be!

Spiritual growth can also beget numerical growth for the church…