Swipe Right

Notes: Swipe Right

Pastor Levi Lusko

4/2/2017

Exodus 2:12 and Genesis 2:24

Proverbs 4:23 NKJV

[23] Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

"The life and death power of sex and romance"

What does it mean to swipe right? The average American touches their screens on their phones over 150 times a day.

36% of the internet is people looking at pornography. The average young person will be exposed to pornography as young as age 6.

Tinder has 100 million users. Its an application that you "swipe right" to indicate you like someone and "swipe left" that you don't. Tinder has had a trillion swipes to date.

Exodus 2:12 NKJV

[12] So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

Moses was beginning a pattern of doing what he liked to do per his own desires.

We need to look up and not just swipe right or left.

God invented sex and He gave it to us as a gift.

Genesis 2:23 NKJV

[23] And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man."

God knows sex is pleasurable. He also knows that it was powerful.

Genesis 2:24 NKJV

[24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

That is the arena where we should be having sex.

God tells us when and where to use sex in our lives.

Lies about sex that you may be lead to believe:

Lie 1: Sex is just a physical activity.

1 Corinthians 6:16 NKJV

[16] Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh."

Lust on any level impacts who you are. Addiction to pornography results in a higher level of depression and physical issues.

Lie 2: I can do what I want and have what God wants.

Galatians 6:5 NKJV

[5] For each one shall bear his own load.

You don't get things out of your system and move on, you get things into your system that you have to bear later.

Your past has a sneaky way of slipping into your future.

God does forgive you, but the best for your life is not that God forgives you, it's that God wants to bless you now!

What you do today can bless your wedding one day or haunt it.

Lie 3: Sexual temptation and dating are only issues before you're married.

It's not purity just till we are married, it is purity our whole lives!

Working on your marriage, is working for a successful marriage.

The devil will do everything he can to get you to have sex with your girlfriend prior to marriage. Then he does everything he can to keep you from having sex with that exact same person after you are married.

Lie 4:" I've already messed up so there is no hope for me."....Not true!!

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

[11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

More Jesus Equals More Joy

Notes: More Jesus Equals More Joy
Pastor Jason Powell
March 30, 2017
John 3:30

John 3:30 NKJV
[30] He must increase, but I must decrease.

Every person of all time has desired to be happy.

Psalm 107:9 NKJV
[9] For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

God is your source for satisfaction.

1 Peter 1:8 NKJV
[8] whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

When the root of your life is in Jesus then the fruit of your life is joy.

Faith will be replaced in Heaven with loving God face to face.

As a Christian you will always have a union with Jesus but you may not have communion with Him. We are the only ones who hold ourselves back from Jesus.

John 3:22-30 NKJV
[22] After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. [23] Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. [24] For John had not yet been thrown into prison. [25] Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. [26] And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified-behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!" [27] John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. [28] You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' [29] He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. [30] He must increase, but I must decrease.

1. Jesus the giver.
John 3:27 NKJV
[27] John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.

He has given us everything. 

Joy in Christ should not be lost when we experience bad things.

It's a small the to lose the gifts when you have the giver.

2. Jesus is the Christ 

John 3:28 NKJV
[28] You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.'

John 1:29 NKJV
[29] The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

3. Jesus is the groom.

John 3:29 NKJV
[29] He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

Jesus provides our hearts needs. The groom is here.

John found joy that Jesus is here.

Jesus has come for you.

If you view Jesus as valuable, then give Him your time.

More Jesus equals more joy.

What to Do When the Odds Are Against You

Notes: What to Do When the Odds Are Against You
Greg Laurie
World Changers
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Judges 6
Music: Harvest Worship Band

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

God sees you differently then you see yourself. You see the past, God sees your future. 

Gideon is a good representative of all the ordinary people out there.

God goes out of His way to take ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Judges 17:6 NLT
[6] In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

It was a lot like today, people living by their own truth.

God raised up 13 judges to guide His people through difficult times.

God raises up World Changers for every generation.

If God is not Lord of all then He is not your Lord at all.

Judges 6:1 NLT
[1] The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.

God let the Midianites rule over them.

If your in crisis, call on God.

Jeremiah 33:3 NLT
[3] Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

There is no shame in calling out for God in a time of crisis.

Judges 6:12-14 NLT
[12] The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!" [13] "Sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say, 'The LORD brought us up out of Egypt'? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites." [14] Then the LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!"

We hear what God used to do, what is God doing now?

God is using us to do His work.

Judges 6:15 NLT
[15] "But Lord," Gideon replied, "how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!"

Principle 1: God uses people who are humble.

Humble people see themselves as they are. They see their flaws and their short comings.

Judges 6:12 NLT
[12] The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, "Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!"

Gideon didn't see himself as a mighty hero.

Gideon was instructed to tear down the altar that his father had built to worship Baal.

Principle 2: World Changers are faithful in the little things.

If you can't do the small things then why could God trust you to do the greater things.

Luke 16:10 NLT
[10] "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.

Judges 6:27 NLT
[27] So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father's household and the people of the town.

Gideon was defended by his father. 

The hardest people to reach is your whole family.

There is a point where you preach sermons and there is a point where you live sermons.

Even Jesus' siblings did not believe in Him until His death and resurrection.

Judges 7:2-3 NLT
[2] The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. [3] Therefore, tell the people, 'Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.'" So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.

The Midianites had over 100,000 soldiers to fight them.

Why did the Lord want the fearful ones to leave? Because fear is contagious.

Hell should scare you more than anything.

Judges 7:4-8 NLT
[4] But the LORD told Gideon, "There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not." [5] When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, "Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream." [6] Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. [7] The LORD told Gideon, "With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home." [8] So Gideon collected the provisions and rams' horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon.

Judges 7:19-23 NLT
[19] It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams' horns and broke their clay jars. [20] Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" [21] Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. [22] When the 300 Israelites blew their rams' horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath. [23] Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian.

It's like putting a pop warner team against the Super Bowl champs.

Ephesians 6:12 NLT
[12] For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Sometimes we try to battle a spiritual world with physical weapons.

Sometimes our most powerful weapon is with prayer.

The answer is not isolation, but infiltration... and permeation.

God is looking for people to share the gospel.

Give me 100 men who love God with all of their hearts and fear nothing but sin, and I will change the world. - John Wesley

What Do You Live For?

Notes: What Do You Live For?

Greg Laurie

Series: Happiness

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Philippians 1:21–26

Music: Harvest Worship Band

Is it an alarm clock or a calling that gets you up in the morning?

1. There are some who say that "to live is to live"

2. Some would say "to live is for pleasure"

Living for pleasure is one of the least pleasurable things to do.

Some would "live to get even."

3. Some "live for possessions"

You have never seen a hurse pulling a trailer.

4. Some "live to acquire knowledge."

If you forget God in your pursuit of knowledge then you have learned nothing.

What are you passionate about?

Only those who are prepared to die are ready to live.

To live is Christ, to die is gain.

The theme of the book of Philippians is happiness and joy.

Paul wrote this book while on house arrest.

Philippians 1:12-18 ESV

[12] I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, [13] so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. [14] And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. [15] Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. [16] The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. [17] The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. [18] What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

Guard by guard they were coming to Christ.

1. When you live for Christ, you will accept Gods will for your life.

Philippians 1:12 ESV

[12] I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,

You are where you are because God wants you there right now.

Philippians 1:14 ESV

[14] And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Examples of evangelism can spark more evangelism.

2. When you live for Christ, you will be a person of prayer.

Philippians 1:9-11 ESV

[9] And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, [10] so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, [11] filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul prays they grow in love and discernment.

Some people are discerning but not loving, others are loving and not discerning.

A mark of real love is that you love your Christian brothers and sisters.

Romans 5:5 NLT

[5] And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

2. Paul prays that we would grow in knowledge.

Real spirituality is practical.

The first century Christians changed the world.

Death for a Christian, is a promotion, graduation, coronation.

When you live for Christ, then you are not afraid to die.

2 Corinthians 5:1-3 NLT

[1] For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. [2] We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. [3] For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.

When you live for Christ, one day you will be with Him in Heaven.

If we train people to be consumers instead of commuters, then we will get customers not disciples.

Philippians 1:23 NLT

[23] I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

All our questions will be answered in Heaven.

1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT

[12] Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

Most importantly, you will be home with Christ.

Philippians 1:21-26 ESV

[21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. [22] If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. [23] I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. [24] But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. [25] Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, [26] so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

To live is Christ, to die is gain.

Our Father

Notes: Our Father
Pastor Adam Eaton
March 2, 2017
Harvest OC
Mathew 6:9

Learning how to pray.

Being out in God's creation seems to point us towards his creation. We just feel small in awe of creation.

Most people feel that they don't pray enough.

The message tonight: The reason we don't pray enough is that we forget who we are praying too.

Matthew 6:5-8 ESV
[5] "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. [6] But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. [7] "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. [8] Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Matthew 6:9-13 ESV
[9] Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. [10] Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. [11] Give us this day our daily bread, [12] and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. [13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

God wants His people to remember what He has done for them.

Yet we tend to forget what God has done for us.

1. We don't pray because we forget God is God. (And we are not)

God is eternal.

Psalm 90:2 ESV
[2] Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

God is unchangeable.

James 1:17 ESV
[17] Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

God is all knowing.

Psalm 139:1 ESV
[1] O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

God is ever present.

Jeremiah 32:27 ESV
[27] "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

There is nothing too small or too large for God to handle.

We can know all kind of information about God without knowing God.

Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV
[1] And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- [3] among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV
[17] Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. [18] They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. [19] They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. [20] But that is not the way you learned Christ!- [21] assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, [22] to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, [23] and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, [24] and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

That is what you once were. Now you are saved.

The longer you walk with the Lord the more you are susceptible to believing the enemy in thinking you got this all by yourself. The more you think you got this, the more you rely on yourself and try to be god.

God is God and He has saved you to this life.

Remember who God is.

When you stop preaching the Gospel to yourself you forget who God is.

2. We forget who we pray to when we don't relate to the fact that God is the Father.

Galatians 4:7 ESV
[7] So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

God has brought us into His family.

Many relate God to their earthly father, and we were let down by that father.

We don't serve a Father that is abusive. 

God is the one who sets the standard.

God loves when His children talk to Him.

Ephesians 2:4-10 ESV
[4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved- [6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God did it all. He saved you.