Weekly ALL IN Devotional, Thursday, February 13, 2014

Throughout life there will be a time and a place when we have to decide if we’re all in or if we’re going to fold.  In Genesis 22:1 “God tested Abraham” when He commanded him to sacrifice his son, Isaac.  With all that Abraham had been through in his life, it could’ve been easy for him to fold and say “I’ve done enough.  God knows my heart.”  But like any student that has taken weeks of classes only to have the whole grade depend on a final exam, our life experiences are the preparation for the test.  We still have to take the exam.  While God’s preparations throughout his life taught Abraham how to hear God, how to trust, and how to go all in for God, Abraham still had to take the test.  Our lives are no different.  We’ll go through plenty of ups and downs which will seem trying but God will still provide a final exam.  The way to pass the test is through consistent prayer and scripture reading.  Learning His voice and His word, being able to know Him on an intimate level and know that He’s watching over us like he watched Abraham is the key to success.  The only way we can make the grade and receive our reward is to pass the test.  The blessing is, this test is Open Book.

Submitted By Minister Christopher Anderson

WEEKLY ALL IN DEVOTION: Thursday, February 6th

We were all dealt a particular hand, and God requires us to play the hand we were dealt. He does not desire us to wait to reach some impossible, man-made standard to be reached before we get to work in His Kingdom. Revelations 3:15 tells us that God does not desire us to live in the land of lukewarmness. Lukewarmness is where the servant that was given one talent lived. He did not properly play his hand, he made excuses, he waited, he delayed his way into outer darkness. It is not God's desire for any of us to follow that same path. So, what is your hand and how do you play it? If you are introverted, maybe your hand is quiet reflection. You can play that by visiting with seniors in the nursing home. If you are extroverted, maybe your hand is evangelism. Play it by handing out your NLIC business cards everywhere you go. Maybe your hand is affluence and you are to fund missions trips to expand the kingdom. Maybe your hand is medical training and you are the one going on the mission! Whatever your hand is, play it now before the bridegroom comes back. Play it so that you may here WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT (Luke 19:17).

Submitted by:  Minister Kristina Anderson
Thanks & See you Sunday!

5 Reasons Why God wants You to Be A Risk Taker!

Sermon Text: Matt 25: 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Number 5: Stops Procrastination in your life Joshua 24: 15 But If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served…But as for me and household, we will serve the Lord."

Number 4: Keeps you moving forward Proverbs 24: 16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again

Number 3: Walk your talk James 2: 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. Someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

Number 2: Makes you a wisdom seeker James 1: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Number 1: Trying produces results 1 Corinthians 15: 58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Life Application:

1. What is the one thing you are trying to make stick in your life?

2. Pick one thing you are going to step out on faith this week?

Play Your Hand!

Text: Matt 25: 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

Hand 1: vs. 16, 20 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.

a)  Free to fail! Jude 24 To him who able to keep you from falling…without fault…

b) Free to choose! Joshua 24: 15…then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…

c)  He was expected to try. Prov. 6: 9-11 How long will you lie there…a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come on you like a bandit…

Hand 2: vs. 22 The man with two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents: see, I have gained two more.’

a)  Life! John 10: 10…I came that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly…

b)  Legacy!

c)  Lucre!

Hand 3: vs. 24 “Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”

Life Application:

1.   Take the one...

2.   If you already know Him as Savior and Lord…

3.   If you lost a few rounds in life…

All In: Soul Winning Hand Part 2

1 Cor. 3:6-7, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

“Then the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it down on the ground,” the LORD told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Exodus 4:2 – 3 NLT

Relay: Pray for the lost. 2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Relate: Find the approach that fits you. Romans 10: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

1. Peter CONFRONTATIONAL –

                                               i.     Acts 2 - Peter after the power of the HS to the multitudes

2. Paul INTELLECTUAL –

                                               i.     Acts 17 – Paul talking to a group of philosophers

3. Matthew’s INTERPERSONAL Approach

                                               i.     Luke 5:29 The Message- Levi gave a large dinner at his home for Jesus. Everybody was there, tax men and other disreputable characters as guests at the dinner. The Pharisees and their religion scholars came to his disciples greatly offended. "What is he doing eating and drinking with crooks and 'sinners'?"

4. The Samaritan Woman’s INVITATIONAL approach

                                               i.     John 4 – after Jesus talked with her at the well and “told her about herself” she wanted others to get to know him in that way also and told the people to “come see a man”.

5. Dorca’s SERVICE approach

                                               i.     Acts 9 – she served others by “doing good and helping the poor”

6. The Blind Man’s TESTIMONIAL

                                               i.     John 9 – blind man was miraculously given sight by Jesus and told what Jesus did for him

                                             ii.     Compelling. Tell your story

Remind: John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Salvation Formula

Easy as A B C

Admit: Rom 3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Believe: Rom 10:9 (b), and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Confess: Rom 10:9 (a), That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.

Re-engage: Never give up. Colossians 1:11 - being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,

Rest: God’s got it. 1 Cor. 3:6-7, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.