Be Real

Victoria Osteen @ Lakewood Church

• The moment you pray, the tide of the battle begins to turn.
• Put a date on your prayer to remind yourself that God is working in your life.
• The work of a believer is to believe.
• Part of believing is trusting God.
• Doubt takes your emotions all over the place and causes you to be all over the place.
• James 1:6
• ...when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind;
• Feed your faith.
• What ever you feed is going to grow. If you feed your faith, your faith is going to grow. Doubt wants to take over and if you continue to feed it.
• The word is your food.
• Hebrews 4:12
• For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church

• It's easy to go through life wearing a mask.
• Some people have a mask for every situation: work, church, this friend, etc...
• In order to get well, you have to get real. Take that mask off and get honest with yourself.
• When you're honest, you open the door for God to come in.
• Your inner life is more important that your outer life.
• Matthew 6:5-15
• 5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
• Matthew 5:8
• Blessed are the pure at heart.
• Facing truth can be uncomfortable.
• Look inside and get honest so that you can overcome the things that are holding you back.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2
• We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
• Prodigal Son
• Luke 15:17 When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!
• He came to his senses and went back home.
• Luke 15: 18-20
• I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
• His father was looking for him.
• His father came running to him.
• His father restored him.
• David & Bathsheba
• For a year David was miserable. Until he finally took off the mask.
• Psalm 51:5-10
• Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
• The first step of recovery is to admit it.
• You can't pretend and have God's provision at the same time.
• God isn't holding any mistakes against you.
• The price has already been paid.
• Sometimes we're more concerned about what people are going to think than what God thinks.
• Everyone is struggling with something, there are no perfect people.
• James 5:16
• Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
• 2 Corinthians 3:18
• But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
• You can't see God if you don't take off the mask
• God doesn't change you from shame to glory, but from glory to glory.
• Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
• Luke 19:1-10
• Tax collectors were notorious sinners.
• He climbed a tree to make up for his weakness, being short.
• Jesus called him by name.
• God knows who you really are.
• Zacchaeus had to come down from the tree to let Jesus into his house.
• The people who get the help are the people who are real.

The Secret Place

• The holy of holies....
• Leviticus 16:2-34 describes a place that had strict rules of entry.
• There should be a place like that in us.
• Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
• Proverbs 4:23 NIV
• Peace is a position of power.
• "In your anger do not sin" : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
• Ephesians 4:26 NIV
• Ships don't sink because of the water around ships sink because of water within.
• Acts 20:24 KJV
• But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
• Philippians 4:8 KJV
• Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
• Job 8:22 KJV
• They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.
• John 14:1 NIV
• "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God   ; believe also in me.
• Don't put your circumstances on the thrown.
• Psalm 68:1 NIV
• May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him.

Lavish Love

Ed Newton @ CBC

• John 21:14-19
• 1. Love chases.
• This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
• John 21:14 NIV
• 2. Love comfronts.
• When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"  "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
• * What are the "these" in my life?

• John 21:15 NIV
• 3. Love Convicts
• The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.
• John 21:17 NIV
• 4. Love Calls
• Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."  Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"
• John 21:18-19 NIV
• Forgiveness is the only thing that can motivate a man to live with conviction.
• If You Could See What I See