Fellowship Church - Prairieville, LA

More than a Story | Joseph, Part 1 – The Power of Presence Genesis 37:2-8,18-24; Genesis 39:1-6,19-23; Genesis 50:19-20 When we are faithful to God, you may end up in the pit, or you may end up in the palace. Neither is the promise. The promise is that we get God. And He is faithful in both the pit and the palace. Resistance does not mean that you are not going in the right direction. God is with...

More Than a Story | Jacob: Running, Returning, & Wrestling Genesis 28:10-22 & 32:22-32 The Lord seeks us in our running and our returning. -We behold what we believe, and we believe what we behold. We wrestle with the Lord running and returning. -Fear and awe are friends, not enemies. -“If” is sometimes a statement to test and sometimes a statement of trust. We wrestle differently when ret...

Jacob & Esau: The Value of a Cup of StewGenesis 25:29–34Don’t just believe the promise made; believe the Promise Maker.• Don’t let rivalry ruin you.• Valuing what we have is necessary to value what is ahead.• What we feed first defines us most.• Grace affords us what we cannot afford ourselves. It’s just a cup of stew.• Some things we can’t buy back.• Guard your appetites.• Desire does not cre...

More Than a Story: AbrahamGenesis 12:1-3, 15:1-6, 22:1-19BIG IDEA: The OBSTACLES we face do not LIMIT God's PROMISES...they become the STAGEfor His FAITHFULNESS.God's CALL is based on His grace, not our GREATNESS.FAITH is TRUSTING what God said, even when CIRCUMSTANCES say OTHERWISE.The GREATEST test of FAITH is SURRENDERING what we love MOST to God.

More Than a Story | NoahGenesis 6:5-22, 7:11-16, 9:8-173 things to Noah ‘bout Faithfulness: (Genesis 6:5-13)1. Faithfulness is proven in contrast, not convenience. (Genesis 6:14-22)2. Faithfulness is obedience before understanding.(Genesis 7:11-16)3. Faithfulness is long term endurance, not momentary effort.(Genesis 9:8-17)Our God is a promise keeper. (Genesis 6:14, Genesis 7:16)

The Power of InfluenceLydia: The Power of FirstActs 16:11–15, 40God uses changed lives to change lives. Do the next thing.-Stop trying to figure out the last step and take the next step. Use everything.-Use everything God gives you for his glory and Gospel. Run the race.-Stop trying to map the course and follow the trail. Join the team.-Faith is not a solo journey. Serve the team.-Use what you hav...

Priscilla & Aquila: The Power of IntentionActs 18:1–3, 18–19, 24–26God uses ordinary people with intentional lives to shape extraordinary outcomes. How to be an Everyday Disciple-Maker-Be faithful with the ordinary.-Become knowledgeable in faith and truth.-Be hospitable with home and life.-Be intentional with investment in people.-Be consistent in availability.

The Power of InfluenceLois and Eunice: The Power of Sincerity2 Timothy 1:3-7 Legacy requires sincerity. (Acts 16:1-3)-Those who are our legacy know our lives, not our legacy. Sincerity requires consistency. (2 Timothy 3:10-15)-Consistency is not convenient. (Acts 16:1) Consistency requires conviction. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)-Conviction is built on truth, not on today.

The Power of InfluenceThe Power of EncouragementInfluence is the person, not their position or power. Acts 11:22-24-Influence comes from faithfulness. Acts 4:36-37Encouragers unlock the potential of and open opportunities for others. Acts 9:26-31-Encouragers invest in potential, not performance. Acts 15:36-39-Encouragers put trust in people because they trust God. Acts 13:1-3-Encouragers build God...

Luke 24:44-53We are all witnesses.-First-hand. Factual. Faithful. The power of the witness: The Holy Spirit.-God empowers His people for His purposes. The posture of the witness:-Worshiping. Obeying. Blessing. The report of the witness:-The Son of God suffered for and conquered all sin. The response to the witness:-Repentance. Forgiveness. Confession.

UnbelievableLuke 24:36-49Faith is believing the unbelievable. Deal with why.-Dealing with doubt requires us to be really personal. See what is.-Seeing truth requires us to be really honest. Be available.-Being available to God’s movement requires us to be really vulnerable.

Wandering, Wondering, and WalkingLuke 24:13-35Big Idea: Jesus doesn’t lose, even when we feel all is lostThe mystery wasn’t the problem—their assumptions were. I’d like to have the attached list on 1 slide – it can be 2 rows if neededThe attached image will come up after the listThe Scriptures reveal God’s identity, shape our identity, and direct our steps. The same Jesus who revealed Himself to t...

UnbelievableLuke 24:1-12Faith is believing the unbelievable.-Sincerity is necessary. Listen believing. Live remembering. Look hoping.

Love is…Romans 5:1-11Love is good.-Everything good is because of love. Love is poured.-Love poured is powerful. Love is shown.-Love known is love shown. PricePeacePlaceLove struggles. Struggles strengthen. Strengthened leads to deepened. Deeper causes hopeful. Hopeful makes joyful.

Love is… John 13:34-35 Love is a lot. -Loves shows the way. -Love serves the other. -Love shares of self. -Love speaks the truth. -Love sacrifices of self. Love is spiritual not natural. -Love is most functional when it is proportional. Love is not portioned. -Love is not measuring portions. -Love is not measuring preferences.

Love is Eternal | 1 Corinthians 13:13, 1 John 4:7-19 “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians13:13 The greatest is love because love is eternal. Faith becomes sight. Hope becomes reality. Love lasts forever. The only way you can give something is if you got something. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God and whoever love...

Love is… 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love hopes. -Love hopes when the only thing left is hope. Standards before situations. -The standards of truth determine how we handle situations of trouble. Love does not rejoice in wrong. -Love does not live gladly while guilty. Love rejoices with truth. -Love rejoices in right relationships. -Love rejoices in repentance and reconciliation. Love holds standards. -Lo...

Love is… 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love believes. -Love does not believe everything; love believes all true things. Love is not arrogant. (Love is humble.) -Love does not make more of oneself by making less of another. Love is not rude. (Love is encouraging.) -Love does not belittle, it builds. Love is not selfish. (Love is selfless.) -Love wants what is right more than it wants to be right. Love is no...

Love Bears All Things | 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love covers. -Love covers in forgiveness, not avoidance. Love is patient. -Patience is a season of honest grace. Love is kind. -Kindness is good from a good place for a good purpose. Love does not envy. -Love does not strive for self. Love does not boast. -Love does not fill self by emptying others.

What is Love? Love is everything…without it, life is nothing To know HOW to love, we must first know WHAT love is -Without Love….Words are just noise -Without Love…Spiritual gifts mean nothing -Without Love…Generosity, Knowledge and even faith accomplish nothing 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 1 John 4:7-8, 1 John 4:19, Romans 5:8 Loved people love people Do you KNOW God’s love?

New You | Mark 12:38-13:2 A Follower is a Giver. A Giver is… -Cheerful (2 Corinthians 9:6-7) -Given from cheer not for cheer. -Given from grace not for grace. -Given from conviction not compulsion. Charitable (Matthew 25:34-40) -Personal compassion in action. -Caring enough to change something for someone. -Giving dignity not getting recognition. A Contributor (Acts 2:44-46) -Regular not regulated...

A follower is a WORKER. 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and 27-31 The LORD is WORTHY. -Not for RETURN, but REWARD. -Not for RECOGNITION, but RIGHTEOUSNESS. The LABOR is WORTHWHILE. -Not to be SERVED, but to SERVE. -Gifts are Spirit PROPORTIONED, Spirit EMPOWERED, individually STEWAREDED, mutually BENEFICIAL. The BELIEVERS are WORTH IT. -Not for MY BENEFIT, but MUTUAL BENEFIT. The LOST are WORTH the WORK. -N...

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 A follower is a member. Every person has a place and a purpose. The church is an organism not an organization. -The church, illustrated, is universal. -The church, instructed, is local. The church is personal, functional, tangible, and spiritual. -Membership is not attendance; it is identity. -The body protects and provides for its weaker parts. -The body works to heal and c...

Go Fishing Mark 1:16-20Fisher of Men = Be a Bringer Go now. Go learn. Go completely. You aren’t a follower of Jesus until you are making followers of Jesus.