Tag Archive for the grove

Avoiding life’s train wrecks

May 5, 2013 Chruch, One story never told, The Grove Notes No comments

Acts 4-5

Avoiding life's train wrecks
Pastor Tom

Proverbs 6:16
-God loves truth but He hates lies!
-Holding anything back from God is a sin!
-We need to care more about that God sees in our life's then what others see in our life's!

1. Be a Barnabas
Acts 4:32-37
If the church acted like this there would be no need in the world.

•Recognition without sacrifice
•Kept back-same as embezzling
•Deception was the sin
•"Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all"- Oliver Wendell Holmes
•Joshua 7:1 Achan's sin
•Satan filled their heart
•Lied to the Holy Spirit
•When we lie we shut off the Holy Spirit

Is there anyone reading that you live a lie to impress others?

2. No one asked them to sell their land or give anything
•lied not just to men but to God
•James4:7
•The lie was premeditated
•Sapphire was looking for the praise of men
•The had an opportunity to confess

1Corinthians 10:13 "BUT"
1 Peter 5:8-9
A statement by God for the "new" church

3. How to avoid this train wreck

•So easy to lie- tell the truth
•keeping back something from Jesus - Jesus calls for 100%
• holding back part of ourselves- what are you holding back today?

Hebrews 4:13 - All creatures will give an account.
•It all started with a lie which could have been stopped with a word of truth.
•People can believe the lies they tell them selves.

2 Corinthians 10:5 capture every thought.

Are you all in or are you holding something back?

We can make a difference

October 9, 2011 Life, Ministry, The Grove Notes 148 comments

We can make a difference
Pastor Tom

Romans 12:1-5

Chapter 12

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. 2 And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith. 4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.

*we please God only when we use our uniqueness God has given us. We are better together.

1 Corinthians 12:14-20

14 For the body is not one member, but many.15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now they are many members, but one body.

1. You are an incredible gift and creation of God designed for a purpose-His purpose
Plasm 139
We were stamped by design.
Ephesians 2:10 (we are Gods pome.)

What do you do that makes God smile? Then do it.
*Are you living out the uniqueness as God created you.

Be apart of something bigger than ourselves.
2. When something becomes unbelievable.

If every one just gave of themselves we all could make a difference.
Acts 2:42-47
Everyone was filled with awe at how all the Christians did something.
Acts 4:32-35, 2Corinthians 8:1-6,
Well I don't have much! I don't have gifts! THAT IS NOT TRUE!!!

Our little bit is what can make a difference read Luke 21:1-4 to see how the little was more then the much.

When life is over will you have done something. 2 Timothy 4:6-8

3. Everyone has something to give and contribute to the team.
You slap God in the face when you say I don't have anything to give.

Video from Australia-
Pay attention to the mom.

Makes everything you worry about seem pathetic.

I will do my part Can you do your part?

4. With God, "your something" is always just enough.
Its
Our friendliness
Our gifts
Our something
Our time
Our compassion
Our unity
Our willingness
That can make a difference to our community.

5. What could God do if we all did SOMETHING?

Gods will

Discover Gods uniqueness for your life so that His will would be accomplished?

Great in the eyes of Jesus

July 24, 2011 The Grove Notes One comment

Great in the eyes of Jesus
Matthew 18:1-9
Pastor Tom Lance

Matthew 18:1-9

Chapter 18

1 In that hour came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven? (also found in Luke 9:46) 2 And he called to him a little child, and set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me: 6 BUT whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe on me to stumble, it is profitable for him that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be sunk in the depth of the sea.
7 Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh! 8 And if thy hand or thy foot causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire. 9 And if thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is good for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire.

1. The disciples wanted to be great but Jesus spoke of humility.
*we don't always live like we should.
*Three things that made a Person Great was
Righteousness
Knowledge Of the law
Willing to die for the cause

*What Jesus said will make a person great.
A choice to become child like
Matt5:20 Right living- righteousness
Matt7:21 Doing the will of the father
Philippians 2:2-3

2. Stumbling blocks in the Church?
How do people stumble?
Watching out actions
When we over look our sins. Or over look other believers sins.
We make fun of the new choices.

In your talk, walk, and life style is there any thing that might be causing others to stumble.

We all have our issues but we need to search our life's and seek to change what is causing others to stumble.

3. This warning is more redemptive than punitive.

If what your doing causes others to stumble then this warning means that you should take every action to change what your doing.

Sometimes it has to be violent, is what Jesus was trying to say. Make the change, stop it, seek God's help.

4. What does right living and humility look like today.
Are you humble?
Do you know that you are nothing with out God?
What type of role model are you to others?