New Day Christian Church - Weston, WI

God's Love - Psalm 136

The book of Psalms is an ancient songbook. In it, we read lyrics to the songs David wrote to express his heart. They are also the songs Jesus and His disciples would have sung together around the campfire and along the road. As an interlude in the eMotions series, we’ll take a closer look at one of these ancient songs, Psalm 136.

Key Verse: Psalm 136:1 (NLT)  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Going through the eMotions: Anger

Anger is usually considered a negative emotion, and yet God gets angry, so it can’t be all bad. As we look into God’s design for anger, we’ll better understand how to glorify Him, even when we feel angry.

KEY TEXTS:

Genesis 4:6-7 (NLT) 6  “Why are you so angry [ḥārâ]?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7  You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Ephesians 4:26-27 (ESV) 26  Be angry [orgizō] and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger [parorgismos], 27  and give no opportunity to the devil.

Ephesians 4:31 (ESV)  Let all bitterness and wrath [thymos] and anger [orgē] and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Eight Core Emotions*

1. 1. 1. ANGER
      2. FEAR
      3. JOY
      4. SURPRISE
      5. SADNESS
      6. SHAME
      7. DISGUST
      8. LOVE

*Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goreman, Tenth Anniversary Edition p289-90, 2006 Bantam Publishing.

Go through the eMotions: What Love Does

We all have some idea of what love feels like. We recognize true love by what it does. God is our ultimate standard of love, and Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God, so as we look at what Jesus did we see what love does. And then we do likewise.

John 13:1 (NLT)  Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.

John 13:15-17 (NLT) 15  “I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16  I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17  Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”

Going through the eMotions: Intro

Experts say everything we feel can be boiled down into eight basic emotions. We see them all reflected in Scripture. Digging into each of these eight emotions is going to help us better understand God’s design for us. Let’s not be satisfied with simply going through the motions.

Psalm 103:8 (NLT)  The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Eight Core Emotions*

1. 1. 1. ANGER
      2. FEAR
      3. JOY
      4. SURPRISE
      5. SADNESS
      6. SHAME
      7. DISGUST
      8. LOVE

Adulting: Rules of Life part 2

Kids don’t always like rules. Teenagers like them even less! Adults realize that good rules are not designed to oppress us, but to support us. In fact, mature people put rules in place for themselves to help them grow and become fruitful--a blessing to the world.

KEY TEXT: John 15:5 (NLT)  “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

 Guidelines for Establishing a Rule of Life*

1. 1. 1. It’s ultimately not about you.
      2. Discern your rule; don’t decide it.
      3. It’s a living document written in pencil, not chiseled in stone.
      4. It should reflect the rhythms of your day, week, month and year.
      5. It should reflect balance of what you prefer and what stretches you.

 What Does Your Rule of Life Look Like?

Each Morning:

Each Midday:

Each Evening:

Each Week:

Each Month:

Each Year:

 

*www.projectrenovation.org/a-trellis-to-live-by/

Adulting: Rule of Life

^{Kids don’t always like rules. Teenagers like them even less! Adults realize that good rules are not designed to oppress us, but to support us. In fact, mature people put rules in place for themselves to help them grow and become fruitful--a blessing to the world.}

^{Acts 2:42-47}

⁴² All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper^[a]), and to prayer.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. ⁴⁴ And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. ⁴⁶ They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity^[b]— ⁴⁷ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Adulting: Growing in Spiritual and Emotional Maturity

Growing older isn’t the same as growing up. Pitching fits, choosing the easy way (even when it isn’t the healthiest way), handling conflict poorly, having a me-centered perspective...these are normal behaviors for kids. Yet we all carry some of these characteristics into adulthood. When we look at God’s plan for us, it becomes clear that we can’t become spiritually mature without growing up in other aspects of our life. Adulting is hard! Together, we are discovering our Heavenly Father’s plan to help us grow in spiritual and emotional maturity.

KEY TEXT: Ephesians 4:13 (NLT)  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.

Resurrection Sunday!

“He is risen!” “He is risen, indeed!” So goes the traditional Resurrection Sunday greeting between disciples of Jesus. Why is this such an important celebration? Hope for eternal life hinges on Jesus having victory over death. Let’s celebrate together!

John 5:24 (NLT)  “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”

 

Matthew 28:5-7 (NLT) 5  Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6  He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7  And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

Romans 6:23 (NLT)  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NLT) 3  I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

2 Timothy 1:10 (NLT)  And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.

1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)  Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

Adulting: Not My Will - Palm Sunday

Part of “adulting” is living in the long term--choosing the pain of discipline over the ease of distraction. Palm Sunday is a reminder to us that Jesus had a long-term goal in mind. While some people wanted  instant gratification for their own tribe, Jesus brought eternal life for all nations.

John 12:12-13 (NIV) 12  The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13  They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Blessed is the King of Israel!"

Mark 14:35-36 (NLT) 35  He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. 36  “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Adulting: Listening to the Word of God

Even though we know God loves us, we can only begin to fathom how deep His love is. Still, we have to try! Looking intently into His love letter to us, The Bible, is one way to grow our relationship with Him. This growth is an important aspect of growing up into the full stature of Christ.

KEY TEXT: Mark 1:35 (ESV)  And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Listening to God in Two Steps

1. Get alone with God
2. Listen to the Word of God