February 19-20, 2005, Selected

BETTER TOGETHER – 40 Days of Community
WORSHIPING BETTER TOGETHER!

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE CAN BE SUMMED UP IN TWO WORDS: LOVE AFFAIR!

*** Matthew 22:37-38 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” [New International Version]

EXPRESSING OUR LOVE TO GOD IS CALLED: WORSHIPPING!

*** Ps. 48:9 “O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship….” [NLT]

WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER IN TELLING GOD HOW MUCH WE LOVE HIM:

1. BY SINGING TO HIM!
*** Ps. 147:7 “ Sing out your thanks to the Lord; sing praises to our God…” [NLT]
*** Eph. 5:19 “When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart.” [Contemporary English Version]
*** Psalm 95:1-2 “Come, let us praise the Lord! Let us sing for joy to God, who protects us! Let us come before him with thanksgiving and sing joyful songs of praise.” [Today’s English Version]

YOU NEED THE MESSAGE FOR YOUR HEAD & MUSIC FOR YOUR HEART!

REGULARLY? – OCCASIONALLY? – RARELY?

2. BY TALKING TO HIM!
THE KEY TO ANY RELATIONSHIP IS: COMMUNICATION!
*** Psalm 116:1-2 “I love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayers. Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!” [NLT]
*** Matthew 18:19-20 “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about something and pray for it, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them." [New Century Version]
*** Acts 12:5 “While Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.” [NLT]

PRAYER CAN DO WHAT GOD CAN DO!
*** Phil. 4:6-7 “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” [Living Bible]

LISTENING TO HIM!
*** Isaiah 55:3 “Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake.” [NLT]

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU: BIBLE & BELIEVERS!
REGULARLY? - OCCASIONALLY? - RARELY?

3. BY PUBLICLY IDENTIFYING WITH HIM!
*** Matthew 5:14-15 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Don't hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.” [NLT]

COMMUNION - 1 Cor. 11:26 “The Lord meant that when you eat this bread and drink from this cup, you tell about his death until he comes.” [CEV]

BAPTISM - Rom. 6:3-5 “When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace - a new life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus.” [Msg]
*** Col. 2:12 “If it's an initiation ritual you're after, you've already been through it by submitting to baptism. Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as he did Christ.” [Message Bible]
*** Galatians 3:27 “Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise.” [Msg]
REGULARLY? - OCCASIONALLY? - RARELY?

4. BY BEING COMMITTED TO HIM!
*** 2 Chron. 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him" [NIV]

1. MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENT! 3. MINISTRY COMMITMENT!
2. MATURITY COMMITMENT! 4. MISSIONS COMMITMENT!
*** Rom. 12:1 “So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” [Msg]
WHICH ONE OF THESE IS THE NEXT STEP FOR YOU?

5. BY GIVING TO HIM!
YOU SPELL LOVE - G-I-V-E!
*** 2 Cor. 8:7-8 “But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving. I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love...!” [NIV]
REGULARLY? – OCCASIONALLY? – RARELY?

"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires you to fear him, to live according to his will, to love and worship him with all your heart and soul….” Deut. 10:12 (NLT)