First Alliance Church ATL

03-04-18 The Wisdom Test

“The Wisdom Test” Proverbs 1:1-7

Last Sunday we began our introduction of the Old Testament book of Proverbs.  In the first seven verses of the book we find three
crucial questions: 

First, what are proverbs? Proverbs are sayings composed or collected by Solomon (1:1).

Second, what is the p__________ of these proverbs?  (1:2-6)

1. With the exception of verse 5, we have five p_________ c________ or five r__________ for why God has given us these proverbs.
2. The first reason God gave us these proverbs, verse 2 says, is so that we might have w__________. Wisdom is l____-s______, the ability to handle what comes at us in life in the b______ p__________ w____.
3. We can use verses 2 – 6 to t______ our level of wisdom:

            Question 1: Am I willing to accept d__________?

            Question 2: Am I a good l_________?

            Question 3: When I make decisions, is my goal to do what is r_____ and j______ and f_____?

            Question 4: Am I s________ my wisdom with those who are i______________?

            Question 5: Am I g_________ in wisdom?

Third, how do we make Proverbs w______? (1:7)

Fourth, Proverbs begins and ends by telling us that if we want wisdom, one thing is required:  the f______ of the L______.

 

02-25-19 Kevin Goins - How Wise Do You Want To Be? Proverbs

“How Wise Do You Want to Be?” (Part one) Proverbs 1:1-7

Today we are going to introduce the Old Testament book of Proverbs.  We are currently working our way through the Gospel of John on Sunday mornings, and we plan to continue.  On occasion, however, we want to season our study of John with a little spice from the book of wisdom. 
Today we are focusing on the way Proverbs begins and over the next two Sundays we want to ask three crucial questions: 

I First, w____ are proverbs?   Proverbs are sayings c__________ or c____________ by Solomon.

1. There are four things we need to highlight about Solomon:
2. Solomon was the a_______ or e________ of many proverbs found in this book.
3. Solomon was ________ of __________.
4. Solomon was the w___________ human being in all of history.

II What Solomon says about wisdom brings up a crucial question:  Does everything stated in Proverbs apply u_______________?  Does it always apply e________ to every person in every situation?

1. The bottom line is that the principles of Proverbs do not allow us to accurately p____________ or c___________ how life will turn out.
2. Knowing this helps us with a verse which has caused a great deal of p_________ and c__________: Proverbs ____:___.
3. This proverb lays down a general principle: If you want a child to take the right way, you better train her when she is ___________.

III The fourth thing we need to know about Solomon is that he was, Proverbs 1:1 says, “the s____ of D______.”

1. The Old Testament prophets said M_________ would also be the “Son of David.”
2. Not only does Proverbs spell out a connection between Jesus and S_________, it also spells out a very strong connection between Jesus and __________.

IV What exactly is a proverb?

1. Kenneth Burk says, “proverbs are shorthand for situations in life that r________ often enough that people feel the need to have a n______ for them.”
2. The book of Proverbs ___ _______ the only place in the Bible where we find proverbs.

02-18-18 Kevin Goins - How Bad Can It Get? - conclusion

“How Bad Can It Get?” (Conclusion)
John 6:16-21

All of us know what it is like to face problems. Sometimes, however, problems come in bunches, either one right after the other or all at once. What does this text teach us about troubles that come in bunches?

I. Bunches of trouble often come without warning (6:16).
II. Not only can bunches of trouble come without warning, they can also come without any explanation (6:17a)
III. A bunch of troubles can overwhelm us with darkness (6:17b).

IV Bunches of trouble often arouse feelings of f______ and a____________ (6:16-18).
     A. What the disciples face is a bunch of troubles:
          1. First, d________ was falling.
          2. Second, “a strong w____ was blowing.”
          3. Third, “the w_______ grew rough.”
     B. It was the a_______ of Jesus that made the fear and the aloneness so horrible.

V Bunches of trouble often find no relief until the danger reaches its h________ p________ (6:19-20).

VI Bunches of trouble can only be survived when we are willing to b_______ Jesus into our b_______ (6:21).

VII Bunches of trouble can h_____ us by l_______ us where we need to go (6:21-22).

VIII We have a lot of troubles, but the Gospel tells us that Jesus s_________ and e_________ those troubles with us.

 

02-11-18 Dave and Teresa Bill - Republic of the Congo

01-28-18 Kevin Goins - Learning from Need part 2

“Learning From Need”  John 6:1-15

Hurricane Harvey so devastated Houston and the surrounding area that many Americans decided they wanted to do something to help those who had been hurt.  Sadly, however, not all the help people gave was really helpful.  That is because we human beings are often at a loss when it comes to dealing with need.  Fortunately, our text today helps us to know how to face need.  What does it teach us? 

I  First, you never know when a significant need will appear.

II  Second, people who are sensitive to the needs of others, will see the need in others.

III  Third, sometimes a need is present in our life to remind us that we have limits we are not yet aware of – limits that have not yet been tested.

IV  Fourth, we need to focus our attention of the b____ i_________.

V   Fifth, we need to make sure we do not d___________ God’s resources for meeting our need.

VI  Sixth, Jesus not only meets n______, he sometimes satisfies w_______.

VII  Seventh, we must never w_______ what God provides to meet our needs.

 

 

 

 

VIII         Last, we need to make sure we do not ignore the most p_________ n_____ of our life.

01-21-18 Kevin Goins Learning from Need

“Learning From Need”   John 6:1-15

Hurricane Harvey so devastated Houston and the surrounding area that many Americans decided they wanted to do something to help those who had been hurt.  Sadly, however, not all the help people gave was really helpful.  That is because we human beings are often at a loss when it comes to dealing with need.  Fortunately, our text today helps us to know how to face need.  What does it teach us? 

I First, you n_______ know when a significant need will a__________.

II Second, people who are sensitive to the needs ___ others, will see the need ___ others.

III Third, sometimes a need is present in our life to remind us that we have l_______ we are not yet aware of – limits that have not yet been t_________.

01-14-18 Kevin Goins - Fearless!

“Fearless!”  2 Timothy 1:6-8

We all have certain fears and these fears can keep us from doing the things we would really like to do. In fact, sometimes fear keeps us from doing the work God calls us to do. That is why at the beginning of this new ministry year we need to look at the handicap of fear. The Bible has an antidote to fear and it is found in our text for today.

I If you have never felt fear in carrying out your calling as a Christian, I want you to put yourself in the place of someone who did. Imagine you are pastor of the t______ l_________ Christian church in the first-century world.

   A. As pastor you have all the responsibilities that come with the job, but in addition to that, your church has some problems:

      1. Your church isn’t exactly a u_______ body of believers. There are groups within your church q__________ about what Christians should believe.

      2. The g_________ is putting pressure on you and your church.

  B. Timothy had to face all that and he wasn’t exactly a c_____________ personality with nerves of s_________. And he was y________ and had h________ p_______.

II After beginning his letter, Paul comes to the point in verse 6: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

  A. There was a time in Timothy’s life when Paul laid his hands on him in prayer and asked God to give him a g_____ for m__________.

  B. The question for us is: Do we have the same e_________in our ministry today? If not we need to f____ the f_______.

III But it is hard to be enthusiastic when you are scared to death, so Paul goes on in verse seven to deal with fear:

  A. First, the n___________ - “God did not give us a spirit of fear.”

  B. After telling us what God hasn’t given us, he goes on to tell us what God has provided:

      1. P__________

      2. L________

      3. A s__________ m________

IV Finally, what is the result of this fearless approach to life? Answer: b_______ t__________.

01-07-18 Kevin Goins - Christmas Isn't Over!

“Christmas Isn’t Over!”
Matthew 2:1-18

Many evangelical Christians experience post-Christmas depression.  One reason they feel depressed is because they believe that Christmas ends at 12:00 am on December 26.  Not only does the Bible deny this, but so also did the early church.  They made sure not to limit Christmas to one day by extending the celebration until Epiphany, which takes place on January 6.  Epiphany commemorates the coming of the Wisemen to see the Christ child.  It is these same wisemen who can help us find a biblical solution for the depression that many feel when Christmas is over.  What do we learn from the wisemen?   

I First, the wisemen teach us that Christmas isn’t limited to o_____ d_____ a year.

II Second, the wisemen teach us that what is important is not what g______ we give, but to w_____ we give them.

III Third, the wisemen teach us to emphasize not only what we b_______ about Christmas, but how far we are willing to go to e________ those beliefs.

IV Fourth, the wisemen teach us that the Christmas story is our only hope for seeing j________ come to this world.

V Lastly, the wisemen teach us that Christmas c_________ people in the most significant ways.

 

12-31-17 Jennifer Bliss-Criswell - Taking time to reflect

12-24-17 Kevin Goins The Forgotten Characters of Christmas part 3

Not “Ho, Ho, Ho,” but “Bah, Bah, Bah!”

We have been focusing our attention this Advent on the forgotten characters of Christmas.  Today we turn our attention to another forgotten group: the animals of Christmas.   

I        Some believe the animals are not Christmas characters, for several reasons:

1. First, animals are not Christmas characters because they are not i____________.
2. Second, some believe the animals are not Christmas characters because they are not h___________.
3. Third, some say the animals are not Christmas characters because associating them with the Messiah is d_____________ to God.

II But if animals were a part of the Christmas story, what does their involvement teach us about Christmas?

1. First, the animals teach us that Christmas is a c___________ event.
2. If you think God doesn’t really care about animals, you have m___________ your Bible.
3. God not only saved _______ and his family with the _____, he also saved all the animals of the earth.
4. When God delivered the c_______ of I________ in the Exodus, he also delivered their animals.
5. God’s command to remember the S_________, not only was to protect the people, but also to give animals a day of rest.
6. When the Prophet Isaiah writes about what the coming of the Messiah will mean, he does not limit it only to what it will mean for _________.
7. Revelation ____:___ says that Messiah’s ultimate salvation will impact all creation.
8. The animals in the Christmas story are not _________. The birth of the Messiah is good news for them, because it is good news for _______ _________.
9. Second, the animals teach us that Christmas is for those who are h___________ enough to receive the good news.
10. There is nothing p_______ or e_________ about the way animals live.
11. Why are there people who are offended at the humble circumstances into which Jesus was born? They understand that if Jesus lived in a humble s________, then he might call them into a humble l________ as well.
12. But there is an upside: the animals who surrounded Jesus at his birth tell us that you cannot come to Jesus with your p_____.  But they also tell us that there is ___ ____ on earth who is not i_______ to come.
13. Last, the animals teach us that the Savior born in Bethlehem
    deserves the worship of ______.

III The transformation the Messiah came to this earth to bring has not yet reached its fulfillment, but it is e_____ n____ at work.