Episodes
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
11-10-19 Paul Gieschen - Living Water vs. Broken Cisterns
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Truths from Jeremiah, Chapter 2
“Living Water vs. Broken Cisterns”
Chapter one of Jeremiah describes his call as an individual to serve the Lord. Then, in chapter 2, we see a clear call to repentance of a people, the people of Israel. It is a touching chapter of God’s love, and the consequences of the self-centeredness of a people. It is also a profound check list of warnings that we must take to heart as individuals, as the church, and as a nation.
In verses 1-3, God is talking about our first l_____ .
Verses 5-8 tells us they became s_________ and found f____ with God.
The crux of the whole chapter and even most of the book of Jeremiah, is in verse 13. “My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of l , and have dug their own c_________, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
God, as the H_______ S__________, is the Living Water.
Sins, decisions to do what we want in the way we want instead of God’s way, are like a h__________ that breaks the cistern.
Hosea 9:10b says we become v________ as the things we love. I______ are the things we love more than God. What is it that we l_________ ?
With relatively few exceptions, problems and their consequences are o____ f_________ .
Here is a check list for how well we are doing in keeping our cisterns full and flowing with the living water.
1. Are you still in awe of God?
2. Are you still fully yoked with Jesus?
3. Are you honest with God or making excuses for your actions?
4. Are you forgetting or ignoring the lessons God has taught through past punishments or consequences?
5. Do you feel free to roam, to dabble, to sample the world’s offerings?
What is your choice today?
Thursday Mar 02, 2017
02-26-27 The Discipline of Confession
Thursday Mar 02, 2017
Thursday Mar 02, 2017
“The Discipline of Confession” James 5:16
We Christians are forgiven children of God, but we all have struggles. And the question we must address is this: Will we keep our struggles hidden, or will we talk with someone about them? The Epistle of James tells us that we should confess our struggles “to each other.” This is called the discipline of confession. What does James teach us about confession?
I First, James did not believe he was saying something n_____ when he called for confession.
II Second, James did clarify one thing about confession often overlooked by many today: confession is not _______ made to _______ (5:16a).
-Some advantages of person to person confession:
1. There is the advantage of o_____________.
2. There is the advantage of reminding us how f____-r_________ our sin is.
3. There is the advantage of a greater appreciation of God’s g_______.
4. There is the advantage of dealing a severe blow to our _________.
5. There is the advantage of gaining an a_____ in our struggle with selfishness.
6. There is the advantage of being able to e____________ those who share our s____________.
7. There is the advantage of being able to experience genuine f____________ from God..
III Third, with his expression “to each other” James lets us know that there are ______ parties involved in confession, and each has r__________________(5:16b).
A. If you are going to confess to someone:
1. Choose the r_______ person.
2. Beware of the too _________ or too ________ syndrome.
3. Confess your ____ sin, not the sin someone committed a_______ y___.
4. Don’t make e_________
5. Remember, forgiveness can only come from _______.
B. If you are going to hear a confession:
1. H_____ their trust – Be d____________.
2. Don’t be s________!
3. Keep _______!
4. Ask God for d______________.
IV James reminds us that the ultimate goal of confession is __________(5:16c).