Faith Benzonia

THERE ARE SPECIFIC WAYS THAT I CAN ENCOURAGE A YOUNGER BELIEVER 2 TIMOTHY 1:1-7 1. I CAN LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH I VALUE THEM. VS 2 2. I CAN REGULARLY PRAY FOR A YOUNGER BELIEVER. VS 3 3. I CAN LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH I ENJOY THEIR COMPANY. VS 4 4. I CAN COMMUNICATE MY ADMIRATION FOR THEIR FAITH. VS 5 5. I CAN REMIND THEM OF THEIR SPIRITUAL RESOURCES. VS 6-7

LAZINESS IS COMFORTABLE, DANGEROUS, AND CURABLE PROVERBS 26:13-16 1. GOD’S WORD DEFINES LAZINESS FOR ME. PROV 26:13-16 2. LAZINESS BRINGS TROUBLE. PROV 15:19; 18:9 3. THERE IS HOPE FOR THE LAZY PERSON. PROV 6:6-8 

PRIDE IS DESTRUCTIVE BUT CAN BE ADDRESSED 1. PRIDE IS DESTRUCTIVE. PROV 30:11-14 2. HUMILITY IS THE ONLY WAY OUT OF FOOLISHNESS AND INTO HONOR. PROV. 13:18

ENVY CAN DESTROY ME, BUT THERE IS HOPE PROVERBS 27:4 1. ENVY IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN ANGER. PROV 27:4 2. ENVY WILL RESULT IN PERSONAL DAMAGE. PROV 14:30 3. THERE IS A RIGHT RESPONSE TO ENVY. PROV 23:17-18, 24:19-20

HOW SHOULD I RESPOND WHEN ANGRY? PROVERBS 29:22 1. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT CHARACTERIZES ANGER. PROV 29:22 2. I CAN RESPOND TO ANGER WITH KINDNESS. PROV 15:1, 25:21-22 3. I CAN RESPOND TO ANGER BY OVERLOOKING PERSONAL INJUSTICE. PROV 19:11 4. I HAVE TO TRUST GOD TO AVENGE. PROV 20:22

JESUS IS ABLE TO ACT IN ANY SITUATION LUKE 8:22-25 1. JESUS HAS A PLAN FOR HIS FOLLOWERS. VS 22 2. WHEN TROUBLE COMES I HAVE TO DECIDE HOW TO RESPOND. VS 23-24a 3. IN TIMES OF TROUBLE, I CAN GROW IN KNOWING JESUS. VS 24b-25

MY GOD IS GREAT ENOUGH TO REVERSE THE IMPOSSIBLE PSALM 113 1. I CAN CONFIDENTLY PRAISE THE LORD. VS 1-3 2. OUR GREAT GOD IS NOT ALOOF, THOUGH HE HAS A RIGHT TO BE. VS 4-6 3. GOD ACTS ON BEHALF OF THE OUTCAST. VS 7-9

SPIRITUAL SIBLINGS SHOULD HAVE: AN EMOTIONAL BOND AN ABSENCE OF CONFLICT A SHARING OF RESOURCES

March 3rd second service

WHEN THE CHURCH WAS A FAMILY CONCEPT 1 - SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS FORMED AND MEASURED IN THE CONTEXT OF RELATIONSHIPS. CONCEPT 2 - THE PHRASE ”PERSONAL SAVIOR” OCCURS NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE. CONCEPT 3 - IN THE NT WORLD, THE GROUP TOOK PRIORITY OVER THE INDIVIDUAL. CONCEPT 4 - RELATIONSHIP PRIORITIES WERE DIFFERENT IN THE BIBLE THAN TODAY. CONCEPT 5 - FOLLOWING JESUS MAY AFFECT MY FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS....

WHEN THE CHURCH WAS A FAMILY CONCEPT 1 - SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS FORMED AND MEASURED IN CONTEXT OF RELATIONSHIPS. CONCEPT 2 - THE PHRASE ”PERSONAL SAVIOR” OCCURS NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE. CONCEPT 3 - IN THE NT WORLD, THE GROUP TOOK PRIORITY OVER THE INDIVIDUAL.

GOD HAS THE ABILITY TO REVERSE PRESENT PAINFUL SITUATIONS AMOS 9:11-15 1. GOD IS ABLE TO CHANGE CURRENT POWER STRUCTURES. VS 11-12 2. GOD IS ABLE TO MOVE HIS PEOPLE FROM SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE. VS 13-15

MY GOD IS INTENT ON JUDGING SIN AMOS 9:1-10 1. THERE IS NOWHERE THAT SINFUL MAN CAN HIDE FROM GOD. VS 1-4 2. THE NATURAL WORLD IS AT THE CREATOR’S DISPOSAL. VS 5-6 3. GOD IS ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED. VS 7-10

WHAT TO EXPECT AS A CLUELESS RELIGIOUS HYPOCRITE AMOS 8:1-14 1. THINGS WILL NOT ALWAYS CONTINUE AS THEY ARE NOW. VS 1-3 2. GOD WATCHES OVER AND AVENGES THE POOR. VS 4-10 3. WHAT YOU ABUSE, YOU LOSE. VS 11-14

4 CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO CAN EXPECT GOD’S JUDGMENT AMOS 7:7-17 1. THOSE WHO CAN EXPECT JUDGMENT HAVE BEEN FOREWARNED. VS 7-9 2. THOSE WHO CAN EXPECT JUDGMENT TWIST GOD’S WORDS. VS 10-11 3. THOSE WHO CAN EXPECT JUDGMENT DENY GOD’S WORK IN OTHERS. VS 12-15 4. SUCH JUDGMENT CAN BE EXPECTED TO TOUCH ALL THAT THEY HOLD DEAR. VS 16-17

HOW CAN SINFUL MAN AND A HOLY GOD INTERACT?  AMOS 7:1-6 1. GOD IS INVOLVED IN THE AFFAIRS OF MAN, INCLUDING JUDGING SIN. 2. THE FIERCENESS OF HIS WRATH DEMONSTRATES HOW OFFENSIVE OUR SIN IS TO HIM. 3. GODLY PEOPLE INTERCEDE FOR WICKED PEOPLE BEFORE GOD. 4. SOMETIMES GOD CHOOSES TO RESPOND WITH COMPASSION.

4 MARKS OF A WISE PERSON PROVERBS 3:5-12 1. I NEED TO TRUST GOD, NOT MYSELF. VS 5-6 2. I NEED TO TAKE ACTIONS THAT ENFORCE MY TRUST IN GOD. VS 7-8 3. I NEED TO BE MARKED BY GENEROSITY. VS 9-10 4. I NEED TO BE SKILLED IN DEALING WITH ADVERSITY. VS 11-12

WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE? ISAIAH 53:1-6 1. LOVE SACRIFICES SELF. VS 1-3 2. LOVE WILLINGLY ACCEPTS ANOTHER’S PAIN. VS 4-6

I CAN HAVE JOY IN SPITE OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES 1. OUR GOD WILL COME TO SAVE US. 2. HE IS ABLE TO BRING ABUNDANT LIFE IN PLACES OF DEATH. 3. HE WILL CREATE FOR US A PLACE OF EVERLASTING JOY.

John Patton is a missionary to Iquitos, Peru

MY GOD IS BIG ENOUGH TO REVERSE IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS AMOS 6:8-14 1. GOD IS WILLING AND ABLE TO STEP INTO THE STREAM OF HISTORY. VS 8 2. GOD IS ABLE TO REVERSE THE FATE OF MEN AND PROPERTY. VS 9-11 3. WHY WOULD GOD GET SO ANGRY AT HIS OWN PEOPLE? VS 12 4. GOD IS ABLE TO DESTROY OUR SOURCES OF POWER. VS 13-14

2 DANGERS THAT CAN ARISE FROM PURSUING A LIFE OF EASE AMOS 6:1-7 1. I CAN BECOME MARKED BY APATHY. VS 1-2 2. I CAN BECOME MARKED BY INDULGENCE. VS 3-7

WHAT HAPPENS IF I CONSIDER RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE AN OPTION I CAN IGNORE? AMOS 5:18-27 1. GOD’S JUDGMENT IS SOMETHING TO BE FEARED. VS 18-20,27 2. GOD HATES WORSHIP FROM SELFISH PEOPLE. VS 21-23 3. WRITING MY OWN WORSHIP RULES LEADS TO IDOLATRY. VS 25-26

I AM TO SEEK GOD REGARDLESS OF THE CHOICES OF THOSE AROUND ME AMOS 5:1-17 1. GOD HAS THE ABILITY TO JUDGE SIN ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. 2. SEEKING GOD MEANS DOING RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE. STRUCTURE OF AMOS 5:1-17 A. Lament for Israel (vs. 1-3) B. Seek the LORD and live (vs. 4-6) C. Accusations of no justice (vs. 7) D. The LORD is the one with authority (vs. 8-9) C’. Accusations of no justice (vs. 10-...

Amos 4:13