Sunday, October 7, 2012

No-Stick Anointing

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church


No matter how good you are people will always treat you bad and you can choose to carry it around with you and let it ruin your day or you can choose to not let it stick!


Psalm 45:7 NLT

You love justice and hate evil.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.



You're never going to please everyone so you might as well be the person that God made you to be.



2 Kings 2:23-24 NLT

Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. "Go away, baldy!" they chanted. "Go away, baldy!" Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.


That teaches you that God will fight your battles!


In 1Samuel 16, Jesse brought all of his sons except David, but he is the one who turned out to be anointed.


In 1 Samuel 17 David brought his brothers lunch and


Don't get caught up in battles that don't matter. Don't be critical of someone who is being critical of me.


People who criticize you are distractions. Go where you are celebrated, not where you are tolerated.


2 Samuel 16:5, 12 NLT

As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul's family...perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today."


John 7:5 NLT

For even [Jesus'] brothers didn't believe in him.


Romans 12:18 NLT

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.


I'm not responsible for anyone's happiness except my own.


Matthew 10:14 NLT

If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave.



Esther 3:5 NLT

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or show him respect, he was filled with rage. He had the respect of everyone but because so consumed with one man that he got into a battle he should have never been involved in...Esther 8:7 NLT...Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, "I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews.


***********Victoria Osteen************

God is love and when you walk with him for a while you realize that love is everything. If we are going to grow, we have to grow in love.

-Philippians 1:9 NIV

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,


There are so many facets of love which means that there are so many areas to grow in.

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.


-Most days love is a decision.


-You have to discern the situation to decide which facet of love is appropriate.


-Ephesians 4:15 NIV

...speak the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.




Sent from the Elders.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Level 56 VIPs: David and Goliath


Level 56
October 6 & 7, Week 1

David and Goliath Bible Story Lesson
1 Samuel 17:12-58

  • This month we are learning about Bible stories EVERY 5th & 6th grader needs to know!

  • Today’s, VIP has a very important lesson to be learned from it – it doesn’t matter your age, God can use anyone to do big things!

  • Create the ultimate Oreo cookie!
WHAT YOU NEED
3 bags of Double Stuff Oreos
HOW TO PLAY
Choose three teams of two and bring them on stage. Give each team a bag of Oreos. The object of the game is to see who can create the tallest, free standing stack of Oreo cookies. To do this, contestants must start with one cookie, then remove one of the chocolate cookies from another cookie and stack it (filling side down) on the first. Contestants will continue this process, stacking their Oreos high, until only one team has a cookie still standing.
RAISING THE STAKES
For older kids, have one student hold the cookie in their palm while the other stacks the cookie. This adds an extra element of difficulty and the potential for some messiness.
[Check Back for Pictures]


NOTES FROM THE SERVICE

  1. David was not from a royal family, he was not rich or had any special things he was known for. To his family and friends, he was the youngest brother and and a shepherd. That’s it. No one saw greatness in him & yet, he killed the leader of one Israelites greatest enemies.
    1. v.55 When Saul saw David go out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Tell me about this young man’s family.” Abner said, “For the life of me, O King, I don’t know.”
  2. It wasn’t about how old David was or what he could do. God just knew in David’s heart – he was willing to do what others wouldn’t. He wasn’t afraid because he knew God was on his side and greater than any Philistine – even a GIGANTIC Philistine!
    1. v.45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

3 Things to Remember:
  • Here are some important things we can remember from this story:
  1. God can use anyone
    1. No one knew who he was.
  2. Your age doesn’t matter
    1. David was the YOUNGEST son of Jesse. He had 7 big brothers.
  3. Be willing
    1. David was willing to do what his earthly father said (take his brothers lunch) and believe in his heavenly father. Saul said "go and the Lord be with you"

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

KNOW WHO YOU ARE WORKING FOR
While his three oldest brothers went to war with Saul, David went back and forth from attending to Saul (the king) to tending the sheep that belonged to his father (Jesse) in Bethlehem.
This is how our lives are. We have a “job” and we work for our Heavenly father.
NO ASSIGNMENT IS BENEATH YOU
v. 17-19 Jesse sent David to take his BIG brothers lunch!  (v. 17-19)
I’ve been asked to do things that I felt like were “beneath you” and I got a little upset.
Had David not honored his father’s request, then he wouldn’t have been in the position to defeat Goliath
  • Things really happen for reason and Your attitude  will determine your aptitude.: Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
v. 20 David arranged for someone to be a stand-in shepherd.
IF someone asks you to do something, you still have to take care of your current responsibilities.
KNOW WHO YOU ARE
v. 28 David’s OLDEST brother Eliab accused David of neglecting his responsibilities. A lot of time, the people closest to us will assume the worse about us because they grew up with us. In the past, Eliab probably had to pick up after David.
v. 39 They tried to give David armor, but he wasn’t used to it. When facing any situation go as yourself! You are in the situation because you are needed. You don’t have to pretend to be anything that you’re not.
YOUR SKILLS ARE TRANSFERABLE
V. 34-37 David said, “I’ve been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I’d go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I’d grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I’ll do the same to this Philistine
EVERYTHING is preparing us for the future. Oftentimes we are given tasks and responsibilities that are boring, like math and we wonder how it will help us in real life. Well, that seemingly useless task may put is in the position to defeat a giant. But we still have to choose to fight that giant.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO DECLARE VICTORY (BECAUSE IT’S THE TRUTH)
v. 46 David was not afraid to speak the truth. Sometimes we are scared to declare victory because, well what if we don’t get it, right? Well David was not!