Ephesians 3:10-11

His (God’s) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, ¹¹ according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Acts 19:8-20

⁸ Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. ⁹ But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. ¹⁰ This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

¹¹ God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

¹⁷ When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. ¹⁸ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. ¹⁹ A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.^[c] 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

http://bible.com/events/48709308

Regret Prevention Part 3: I Would Have Given More Generously

It doesn’t matter how much you accomplished or how much you accumulated. One day the game will end and it will all go back in the box.

We are focusing on avoiding future regrets by focusing on two of the most common regrets people report as they near the end of life:-Last week: I would have loved more deeply.-This week: I would have given more generously.

Acts 2:44-47NIV

44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

From the very beginning, followers of Jesus were characterized by radical generosity.

Luke 21:1-4NIV

1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

God’s economy, generosity is much more about the WHY than the WHAT.-The truth is, our stuff has the power to imprison us.-The widow’s gift is one of deep love, devotion, and total trust. In this moment, she is demonstrating freedom.

How do we practice this radical generosity both individually and within community?-We give-We serve

What would it look like today for each one of us to ask God this question: “How can I be more generous?”

http://bible.com/events/48704984

Regret Prevention Part 2: I Would Have Loved More Deeply

• There is hope on the other side of our regret!

We are focusing on avoiding one of the most common regrets people report as they near the end of life: I would have loved more deeply.-We are exploring the importance of love as the guiding focus of life – loving God and loving people.-You’ll find that love is the great antidote to regret.

Matthew 22:34-40NIV

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Greek word for love: agapaō – means to love dearly, to welcome unconditionally.

Point 1: We don’t know how dearly we are loved.

“If you want to know God and if you want the world to know him, you will have to saturate in this love. It may seem uncomfortably selfish at times to bathe in the love of God so thoroughly and personally, but it’s the only way you can become the vessel of love he is creating you to be. You will be able to love others only to the extent that you experience his love for yourself. You will forgive other only to the extent that you have experienced forgiveness yourself. You will bless others only to the extent you have understood blessings in your own life. Your capacity to love depends entirely on your capacity to receive it. It will shape your life more than any other force.” -Chris Tiegreen

Point 2: We make love about our feelings but really love is defined by our actions.

1 Corinthians 13:3-8NIV

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:13NIV

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.Add your private notes…• • •Greek word for bear: steg’-o: to roof over, i.e. (figuratively) to cover with silence (endure patiently) — (for-)bear, suffer.
Love protects. It bears; it does not bare.

Point 3: We don’t give love the final word.

Trust God today and take the next step to prevent any further regret.

http://bible.com/events/48704984

Regret Prevention Part 2: I Would Have Loved More Deeply

There is hope on the other side of our regret!

We are focusing on avoiding one of the most common regrets people report as they near the end of life: I would have loved more deeply.-We are exploring the importance of love as the guiding focus of life – loving God and loving people.-You’ll find that love is the great antidote to regret.

Matthew 22:34-40NIV

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Greek word for love: agapaō – means to love dearly, to welcome unconditionally.

Point 1: We don’t know how dearly we are loved.

If you want to know God and if you want the world to know him, you will have to saturate in this love. It may seem uncomfortably selfish at times to bathe in the love of God so thoroughly and personally, but it’s the only way you can become the vessel of love he is creating you to be. You will be able to love others only to the extent that you experience his love for yourself. You will forgive other only to the extent that you have experienced forgiveness yourself. You will bless others only to the extent you have understood blessings in your own life. Your capacity to love depends entirely on your capacity to receive it. It will shape your life more than any other force.” -Chris Tiegreen

Point 2: We make love about our feelings but really love is defined by our actions.

1 Corinthians 13:3-8NIV

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

1 Corinthians 13:13NIV

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

•Greek word for bear: steg’-o: to roof over, i.e. (figuratively) to cover with silence (endure patiently) — (for-)bear, suffer.
Love protects. It bears; it does not bare.

Point 3: We don’t give love the final word.

Trust God today and take the next step to prevent any further regret.