New Day Christian Church - Weston, WI

Power, Part 4: Sharing Our Lives

Guest teacher Josh Holland takes us further into how God’s unbreakable power is revealed in broken people.

1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV)  So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

Power Part 3

Using the right tools allows us to convert small efforts into great power. God’s spiritual gifts are like that. When we have people using the tools God gave them to do the work He planned, the outcomes will amaze us!

Romans 12:6-8 (NLT) 6  In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7  If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.   

 

Gift Lists in Scripture: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31, 1 Peter 4:9-11

 

Three ways to leverage your Spiritual Gifts.

1. Experiment with different areas of service.
1. Plug into a Sunday morning ministry by marking your Communication Card (including contact info). Rachael Allen will follow up to let you know about open positions.
2. Participate in your Small Group service projects.
3. Connect with Service Initiatives like: monthly reviveWISCONSIN outreach events (second Saturday each month), New Day’s Community Christmas Eve Worship Service, Good Friday Blood Drive, Backyard Missions.
2. Use an online gifts assessment tool.
1. Spiritualgiftstest.com is a good one. No single assessment is perfect.
3. Ask others what gifts they see in me.

Power Part 2: Foundation

What is the difference between a gift and role? What about a base and phase? In his letter to the disciples in Ephesus, we have access to a few words from the Apostle Paul that can help us see the power of God displayed through us today.

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT) 11  Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.  

Gift Lists in Scripture: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31, 1 Peter 4:9-11

Three ways to “unwrap” your Spiritual Gifts.

1. Experiment with different areas of service.
   1. Plug into a Sunday morning ministry by marking your Communication Card (including contact info). Rachael Allen will follow up to let you know about open positions.
   2. Participate in your Small Group service projects.
   3. Connect with Service Initiatives like: monthly reviveWISCONSIN outreach events (second Saturday each month), New Day’s Community Christmas Eve Worship Service, Good Friday Blood Drive, Backyard Missions.
2. Use an online gifts assessment tool.
   1. Spiritualgiftstest.com is a good one. No single assessment is perfect.
3. Ask others what gifts they see in me.

Get a Snapshot of Your “Base and Phase” Ministry Gifts

http://www.fivefoldsurvey.com/

God's Unbreakable Power, Revealed in Broken People: Gifted

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NLT) 4  There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5  There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6  God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 7  A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.  

Gift Lists in Scripture: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31, 1 Peter 4:9-11

Three ways to “unwrap” your Spiritual Gifts.

1. Experiment with different areas of service.
   1. Plug into a Sunday morning ministry by marking your Communication Card (including contact info). Rachael Allen will follow up to let you know about open positions.
   2. Participate in your Small Group service projects.
   3. Connect with Service Initiatives like: monthly reviveWISCONSIN outreach events (second Saturday each month), New Day’s Community Christmas Eve Worship Service, Good Friday Blood Drive, Backyard Missions.
2. Use an online gifts assessment tool.
   1. Spiritualgiftstest.com is a good one. No single assessment is perfect.
3. Ask others what gifts they see in me.

 

Take a Look Around

We’ll take a moment to look back at progress we have made as a church, and then we’ll look ahead at where God is leading us next!

Your Discipleship Journey - a Self-Assessment

God has a vision and a plan for your life. No matter what His specific plan is, there are some general characteristics of people who are moving from being Disconnected to Giving Through the Spirit. How have you been growing? What is your next step?

 

Disconnected

• • Unsure about who God is.
  • Trusting that if there is a heaven, either all people will get there, or at least those who earn it by living a good, sincere life.
  • Doing whatever seems right in my own eyes.
  • Living as if there is no God.

Grafted by God

• • Acknowledging that I am in a perpetual condition of sinning against God.
  • Believing that God loves me so much that He offers me forgiveness through Christ.
  • Trusting Him to save me from my sin and graft me into His family tree, once for all time.
  • Ready to publicly declare Christ as my Lord through baptism and communion.
  • Connecting with fellow disciples regularly in worship services.
  • Understanding that the church is the body of Christ, and I am part of it.
  • Realizing that not all people who call themselves Christians are living as disciples.

Growing in Christ

• • Making prayer a regular priority.
  • Reading the Bible, every word.
  • Connecting around God’s Word in a small group of disciples.
  • Confessing sinful patterns to trusted disciples who can help.
  • Replacing old habits with healthy disciplines.
  • Trying out a ministry in the church.
  • Offering a set portion of my finances to God, rather than giving Him my leftovers.
  • Struggling with changing values and priorities.

Giving through the Spirit

• • Looking forward to time spent with God daily.
  • Discovering, understanding and using my spiritual gifts to serve the church.
  • Living with eternity in mind.
  • Investing a significant percentage of my finances in Kingdom work.
  • Intentionally building bridges to people who are far from church or far from God.
  • No longer judging success by worldly standards, but by how closely I follow God’s will.
  • Regularly introducing people to Christ.

Psalms of Psummer: Sweetness (Psalm 19)

Even though kids are heading back to school, we are going to keep digging into the Psalms of Psummer. This Labor Day weekend we’ll look at the labors and the laws of God and find that they are sweet!

Psalm 19:7-11 (NLT)

7  The instructions of the LORD are perfect,
    reviving the soul.

The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.

8  The commandments of the LORD are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are clear,
    giving insight for living.

9  Reverence for the LORD is pure,
    lasting forever.

The laws of the LORD are true;
    each one is fair.

10  They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.

They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.

11  They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them.

Psalms of Psummer: God is...

PLEASE NOTE:  at the 7:30 mark, there was an issue with the recording and a brief portion of Pastor Aaron's message is missing. 

It’s a challenge to relate to a God we cannot see. The psalms give us a wealth of images to help us. David, in particular, would have no trouble answering questions like, “Who is God? What is He like?” By looking at David’s answers, we will learn and grow in our relationship with God.

Draw a box around each word and phrase that describes what God is like.

Psalm 18:1-6 (NLT) 1 I love you, LORD; you are my strength. 2  The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3  I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. 4  The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5  The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6  But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.

 

Circle each word and phrase that describes what God does.

Psalm 18:30-36 (NLT) 30  God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 31  For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock? 32  God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. 33  He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. 34  He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. 35  You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand supports me; your help has made me great. 36  You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping.

BIG IDEA: The psalms teach us to praise God for who He is, and to thank Him for what He does.

Psalms of Psummer: All Nations

God’s plan to save humanity from our sin is not limited to a particular country or ethnicity. In fact, we have clear instructions to reach across boundaries to share His blessings. Dig into Psalm 67 and enjoy the stories of our blessings pouring across borders.

Psalm 67 (NASB)

 

1  God be gracious to us and bless us,
    And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah.

2  That Your way may be known on the earth,
    Your salvation among all nations.

3  Let the peoples praise You, O God;
    Let all the peoples praise You.

4  Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;
    For You will judge the peoples with uprightness
    And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.

5  Let the peoples praise You, O God;
    Let all the peoples praise You.

6  The earth has yielded its produce;
    God, our God, blesses us.

7  God blesses us,
    That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

Psalms of Psummer: Great Big Universe

Sometimes we have a hard time seeing past ourselves, as if we are the center of the universe. Other times, we seem insignificant when we consider the scope of history and the enormity of God’s creation. Reading through the Psalms helps us gain perspective on who we are in this great big universe.

Psalm 8:1-9 (NLT)

O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
     Your glory is higher than the heavens.

You have taught children and infants
     to tell of your strength,
silencing your enemies
     and all who oppose you.

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
     the moon and the stars you set in place—

what are people that you should think about them,
     mere mortals that you should care for them?

Yet you made them only a little lower than God
     and crowned them with glory and honor.

You gave them charge of everything you made,
     putting all things under their authority—

the flocks and the herds
     and all the wild animals,

the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
     and everything that swims the ocean currents.

O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!  

Psalms of Psummer Interlude: PSix:PFour Project

The world tells us to compare ourselves to an artificial standard of perfection, our modern day idols. Scripture tells us that only God can judge us and our motives in our hearts. How do we strive to improve ourselves without worshipping perfection or falling victim to jealousy?

Galatians 6:4 (NLT)  Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.

Compare yourself to NOBODY.

Satisfaction is a JOB WELL DONE.