https://www.bible.com/events/48387029

What does God want from you?
Series review:-Jesus taught us to pray with these three words that are proving profound in these days: “Thy Kingdom Come”-The kingdom is “God’s reign” – His action & His Lordship-In Jesus, the king has entered into our reality to show us what the kingdom is all about.-We believe that one day the king is coming back to make all right in his kingdom again, and we also believe that the kingdom matters today. His kingdom can break into our present day reality.
Mark 12:28-34 NIV28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

What was it that made this teacher not far from the kingdom?-There’s something this teacher knew: the rules of the kingdom.-Every kingdom has rules and expectations, and this kingdom is not different.-We have been given access to the kingdom, by faith. And what we do in response matters.-Jesus declares these two commandments as most important in his kingdom: love God with all and love others.
Micah 6:8 NIV8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.And what does the Lord require of you?To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
We must not view these as separate instructions or disconnected ideas, but rather ideas building on one another:-Act justly-Love mercy-Walk Humbly-With God
We cannot separate the command to love God and love others. They are interconnected. In the same way, we cannot separate the call to act justly from our love of mercy, our posture of humility, and our complete dependance on God.

If we are serious about living according to the rules of the kingdom, there are two important implications:1. God’s kingdom is not a human kingdom.2. God’s kingdom calls us to a radical view of a loving and generous community.

Matthew 20:15-16 NIV15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

It’s as if Jesus is saying, “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly….because I have been so generous to you!”

http://bible.com/events/48271723

You can’t have a kingdom without a king.
Luke 1:30-33

30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”-With the promise of Jesus, the king is now coming into the world.-This king will have a never-ending kingdom.-Of all the kings who have ever lived, this king will be greater than them all.
He is the king with all the power.He is the king with all the love.
John 19:1-5

1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face. 4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”-While the people mockingly called him king, Jesus displayed incredible love on the cross.-This king had all the power, yet gave it up. He sacrificed himself for his subjects. That is incredible love.
Philippians 2:6-8

6 Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothingby taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfby becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!Matthew 18:23-27

23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
He is the only King that is worthy.
Worthy of what?Our worshipOur devotionOur affectionOur focusOur hopeOur trust
How you know you understand Jesus as King:-Worship takes a priority in your life-Obeying Him matters most to you-You rest in the knowledge that He is in charge-You focus on others before yourself
How you know there are gaps in your understanding of Jesus as King:-Worship tends to be a Sunday-morning-only thing for you-You prefer to having things your own way-Prayer is often a last resort, after you’ve tried to fix things-You often ask the Lord to bless what you have planned

http://bible.com/events/48190984

Matthew 6:9-13

9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us today our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
Matthew 6:9-13 
-This is the first request of the Lord’s prayer – “your kingdom come”-Jesus’ prayer gives a glimpse of life in the kingdom: trusting God for what we need day by day, walking in forgiveness as we forgive others, and in freedom from sin and selfishness
1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 3:1-2 
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 4:17 
So why are we starting 2021 by studying this idea of kingdom?-John the Baptist came preaching specifically about the “Kingdom of Heaven” and Jesus kept right on that theme.-If you continuing following the teachings of Jesus, you will see kingdom language is used 126 times in the 4 gospels-Jesus didn’t preach about “becoming a Christian” – a term that wasn’t used until long after His death (Acts 11). He spoke of being a part of the Kingdom of God.-For Jesus, it all came down to this idea about kingdom: life in a kingdom and a kingdom within you.What is the kingdom?-Kingdom means “God’s reign”, “His action” and ”His Lordship”. God sits on His throne as king of the universe.  -Through Jesus, God (the king) is coming into the world to establish His rule, first in the lives of people by triumphing over sin and then gathering people together that will live with a new allegiance, not to this world (to this kingdom), but to His Kingdom.-This King promises to return again one day to bring everything to completion, which is the ultimate fulfillment of this Kingdom.

When Jesus arrived on earth, the people were looking for a king, but not the kind of king He turned out to be. They were looking for a physical kingdom with an earthly realm to overrule Rome. They got an invisible, Heavenly kingdom that makes its realm inside of us. (Luke 17:21)

Why was it so important for Jesus to pray “Thy kingdom come” ?A focus for today; A promise for tomorrow; A deep passion for both.44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Matthew 13:44

http://bible.com/events/48118137

Title: It’s Not Worth It!
You have no idea what God can do and desires to do with your life when you are completely surrendered to Him.

Appetites (and/or feelings)

• These are things that can ruin our lives and make us miserable, if they are not ultimately surrendered to God
• They can become gods/idols in our lives that we give our affection + energy too
  • You will either be ruled by them or you’ll rule over them by loving obedience to God

3 Things I Want You to Know About Appetites
1. God created appetites, but sin distorted them
2. Appetites are never fully & finally satisfied
3. Your appetites always scream NOW and never LATER

Genesis 25:29-33 
Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.[f]) 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So, he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

Who in their right mind would trade their birthright for a bowl of stew?

Never underestimate the significance of even the smallest act of obedience — or disobedience. 

“Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good (i add obedient) act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger (or name any other appetite) today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.” -C.S. Lewis
Genesis 25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So, Esau despised his birthright.

RepentRe-frameRefrain
James 1:12-16
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.

Extra Scripture:Matthew 6:24Matthew 10:39John 14:21Romans 8:14-17Ephesians 4:17-32Psalm 112:1

http://bible.com/events/48033171

Throughout the Christmas season, our focus has been upon Light and it’s symbolism for all that Jesus did in overcoming darkness for us.No matter which Christmas light is your favorite, there is one truth that will always remain: YOU CAN’T OUT-DARK THE LIGHT

Luke 2:29-32

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”
No matter what darkness you are experiencing today, know this:  this Light is unquenchable and darkness cannot overcome it.Don’t let this Christmas season pass without asking: Jesus, will you shine on me? I’m tired of the dark.

John 1:5 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.