http://bible.com/events/691561
Jesus & My Money

Jesus spoke often about money because He knew that there was a deep connection between our possessions and our heart.  
“It’s okay for us to have stuff, but it’s not okay for our stuff to have us.”

True transformation begins not by ACTING differently but by THINKING differently.
So that leads to the question:
“What is your mindset when it comes to money?”

Luke 12:13-21
The rich farmer is a fool not because he is wealthy or because he saves, but because he lives only for himself.

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:21
What does it mean to be “rich toward God”?

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6:17-19‬ ‭
Understanding what it means to be rich towards God begins with a shift in our mindset, asking His Holy Spirit to give us the mind of Christ.  

My mindset defined is defined by:
“Me-Centered”

Four ways that our mindset must shift:

1. Owners vs Managers
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17

Everything we have is from God, which means we are managers and not owners.
Managers don’t feel guilty, but they feel responsible.

2. Goal vs Resource
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17

We don’t put our hope in money, but rather we understand that our money is a resource that can be used for powerful things.
….the love of money is the root of evil (see 1 Timothy 6:10)
…a spirit generosity is a root to something much greater

3. Keep vs Give
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 1 Timothy 6:18

At HFCN we believe in giving….
-Biblically a call to give the first 10%
-and then, at times, to give beyond that

A command them to be rich…
-rich in good deeds
-to be rich in serving
-to be rich in loving
-to be rich in extending grace

“Earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can” John Wesley

4. Hoard vs Sacrifice
In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:19

The entire life of Jesus and His call to all believers could likely be summed up in a word: SACRIFICE.  

The bottom line:
God’s generosity towards us moves us to be generous toward others

Christ’s Mind Versus the Human Mind as it Relates to Our Money
 Life does not consist of an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15) VERSUS Get all you can while you can
Our money belongs to God. (Psalm 24:1) VERSUS Our money belongs to us
Our stewardship of money is for His use and glory (Luke 16:1) VERSUS Our stewardship of money is to get more money for ourselves
We depend on Him for provision and providence (Ps 50:10-12; Phil 4:19) VERSUS God helps those who help themselves
Give (Acts 20:35) VERSUS Keep (See Ananias and Saphira)
Sacrifice (Luke 12:20) VERSUS Hoard

Other Scriptures for Consideration

I Timothy 6:6-10
Luke 16:1-15
Matthew 25:14-30‭James 2:15-17‭‭Biblical Principle of Tithing:

Previous Messages:
9-17-17 message begins at 28:00 https://vimeo.com/23455609811-11-19 messages begins at 40:10 https://vimeo.com/300184208
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭27:30-33‬ ‭‬‬
Malachi 3:6-10
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23:23

http://bible.com/events/688612 
Jesus & My Enemies– September 15

True transformation begins not by ACTING differently but by THINKING differently. 

1 Corinthians 2:14-16

JESUS & MY ENEMIES 

Matthew 5:43-48 
Verses 43-44
Jesus speaks of AGAPE, meaning “unconquerable love” 
AGAPE love is not a feeling of the heart, but a determination of the mind.  
We need the mind of Christ to love in this way.

Verses 44-45
We love our enemies, not so we will be blessed, but instead because this is what it means to be children of God.  

Verses 45-47
Jesus does not call us to a love that is REACTIVE but rather a love that is PROACTIVE. 

Verse 48
Jesus call us to TELEIOS, meaning “growth” or “completeness” 
If we want to live out this radical call to love, then we have to allow the Spirit of God to make us like Him.

Jesus is not interested in making us moral people. 
Jesus wants to make us like Him.

How do we respond?

Admit
“This is beyond me”
 “On my own I can’t do this”

Surrender
“God, I need your Spirit”
“I need your power”

ENGAGE
I engage the world around me with the power of His Spirit.  

The powerful truth: 
“As the Spirit transforms us, each person who encounters us encounters the living God”.

Christ’s Mind Versus the Human Mind as it Relates to Our Enemies

The Mind of Christ The “Merely Human” Mind
Defaulting to love (Phil 2:4) / Defaulting to defense or fear
Building bridges (Luke 10:35) / Building barriers
Challenging feelings of animosity (Mt 5:43-44) / Feeling justified by hate
Making personal sacrifice (Luke 10:33-34) / Being inherently self-concerned
Looking for opportunities to approach / Looking for opportunities to avoid (Luke 10:32)

http://bible.com/events/683796
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 
PNEUMA vs PSUCHE (verses 14-15)
Paul speaks of two different individuals….
One guided by pneuma…the spirit – verse 15
One guided by psuche….the physical life (the appetites) – verse 14

THE MIND OF CHRIST (verse 16)
The Spirit moves us from living a compartmentalized life through the mind of Christ.
Having the mind of Christ means sharing in the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ.  

The Mind of Christ /  The “Merely Human” Mind
Alive (Romans 8:6)  /  Tormented by the shadow of death
Single-Minded, Focused (2 Cor 11:13) /  Double-Minded/Scattered (James 1:8)
Humble (Phil 2:3) / Proud/Self-Focused
Pure (Titus 1:5) /  Sin-Infected
Responsive (Luke 24:45) /  Stubborn
Peaceful (Romans 8:6) / Fearful

Romans 8:5-8
The mind governed by the flesh:
DEATH (verse 6)
HOSTILE TO GOD (verse 7)
CANNOT PLEASE GOD (verse 8)

1. My thoughts are powerful
-they drive how I live and impact
 -what I think about myself
 -what I think/believe about others
 -what I think/believe about God

2. God’s thoughts can become my thoughts
-as believers in Christ, we have access to the “mind of Christ” if we walk in step with the Holy Spirit  
3. True transformation begins not by acting differently, but by thinking differently.
-“The Mind of Christ” transforms every part of me

You can’t compartmentalize obedience.
You can’t fully obey God without the mind of Christ.  

http://bible.com/events/679023

“Eyes to See”

Luke 7:36-50 NIV

As we realize the depth of our sin, we understand the depth of God’s forgiveness

When we consider this encounter through the perspective of Simon the Pharisee, we understand that his problem was blindness.

1. Simon did not see the woman

“Then he [Jesus] turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?”

Luke 7:44

The challenge is to see beyond someone’s past and beyond their brokenness, but instead to see what Jesus see.

All Simon could see was her past, but Jesus saw her future.

2. Simon did not see himself

Simon was so focused on “the sinner” in his presence that he was totally unaware of his own sin.

““Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?”

Matthew 7:3-4 NIV

Jesus doesn’t seek to address the amount of sin, but rather the awareness of sin.

3. Simon did not see his savior

“When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.””

Luke 7:39 NIV

Simon was blinded by his skepticism, his doubts, even his religious duty in such a way could not see that the Son of God was in His presence.

A simple but profound prayer….
“Lord, give me eyes to see”

A. Eyes to see others

To Jesus there were never any invisible people.

What would happen if we lived our lives that way?

What would change?

Who would we begin to see that we’ve never seen before?

B. Eyes to see myself

Before I am quick to point out the sin in someone else, may I stop to see the pain in my heart.

Being aware of my own need is where transformation begins.

C. Eyes to see my Savior

It does not matter if your sin is obvious (the sinful woman) or hidden (Simon the Pharisee), He is the Savior of all.

As my eyes are open to see the needs of others and as my eyes are open to see my own need, I can see clearly that He is enough.

http://bible.com/events/675827

All Together new: Grow

The call to community is a call to GATHER.
The call to community is a call to GIVE.
The call to community is a call to GROW. 

Ephesians 4:11-16
Ephesians 4:11-13 
These verses set the foundation of what the community of believers is called to do:
We are called to be “equipped” in order to be “built up” towards unity and even towards maturity 

Ephesians 4:14
We are given a powerful picture of what maturity is NOT:
-No longer infants 
-No longer tossed back and forth by deceit 

Ephesians 4:15-16
We are given a charge:
-We will grow 
-With Christ as the head, we will be the body

Acts‬ ‭2:42-47‬ ‭‬‬‭‭In Biblical Community, The Body Grows….
-Grows in knowledge 
-Grows in serving 
-Grows in experiencing the power of God 
-Grows in praise for God 
-Grows in experiencing community 
-Grows in number 

ISOLATION BRINGS:  
-DISUNITY
-IMMATURITY  
-IGNORANCE 
-DEATH