Kickstart : week 1

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Salvation
Subtitle : uhh, what just happened?


What is it like to give your life to Jesus?
They say it's like scales falling off your eyes.

You were living in sin & headed to hell.
Now you are living in Christ & headed to Heaven.

Paul used to help kill Christians.
One day he met Jesus.
Paul then became a believer.
Paul needed to turn his whole life around.

This Kickstart series is going to be :
What now?
What you need to know in order to grow.
Piecing together what you need to know in order to run this race.

Time spent doing something is no guarantee of progress in it.

Getting back to the fundamentals.
The basics become the building blocks for life.
Get back to the basics.
Unlearn some bad habits.

Salvation is :

1. The Past
Instantaneous and Final

I      have      been       saved. 

A. Regeneration
Titus 3:5
God reaches into the heart of an unbeliever & brings life where there was none.
B. Justification
Romans 5:1
Regeneration is what happens in your soul : your state
Justification is what happens before God's throne : your standing
To declare someone as righteous.
C. Adoption
You are brought into the family.
You are now a son or daughter of Christ.
You are not an heir of God, in Jesus Christ.

2. The Present
Ongoing and Unfinished

I      am      being    saved.

1 Corinth 2:15
1 Corinth 1:18
A. Sanctification
1 Thes 5:23
Set apart from evil.
Set apart toward righteousness.
Sanctification has as much to do with what you are supposed to do, as to what you are not supposed to do.
BE SET APART, UNTO GOD!
In sanctification we are being saved from the power of sin.
The purpose of sanctification is bringing the substance of your life up to the level of your state & standing before God's throne.
Ephesians 4:13
Incredibly, when you hear the goal of sanctification, you sort of feel dirty.
You shouldn't be discouraged into thinking you are not a Christian.
You're going to have good days & bad days.
Our happiness (joy, peace, etc) is connected to our holiness - our righteousness is not.
Try not to be content with such little sanctification.
"A little faith will bring your soul to Heaven, a lot of faith will bring Heaven to your soul." Charles Spurgeon
Quit doing the bare minimum.


3. The Future
Something to look forward to...

I      will     be   saved.

1 Peter 1:5

A. Glorification   

We will be saved from sin's presence.

The ultimate end is Heaven!

1 John 3:2

Ephesians 4:30

Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

The reason we check the time so often is because depending on what time it is, we know what we need to do...

We need to live fully for Christ, because Christ is coming back soon.

Keep The Change : week 4

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Like a Hawk
Nehemiah 13

Protect your progress!
Changing is only half the battle.

Nehemiah had a dream.
He was in exile in Persia (formerly Babylon).
He worked for a king. He brought the king his wine glass.
The king would only drink if Nehemiah took the first drink and didn't die.

Someone brought news : the walls are torn down, the people are full of grief. This broke Nehemiah's heart.
Nehemiah acted instantly.
He kept doing what he had been doing while keeping the dream in his heart.

Don't pursue a calling before it's time.
The dream will be unlocked in due season, unless you get impatient.

Bloom where you're planted.

Use what is in YOUR HANDS to release what's in your heart.
A mom - use it.
A baker - use it.
A teacher - use it.

There are always going to be haters when you do something great for God.
Always be ready to defend what God is building in your life.

24 days of revival.
As they built the wall they neglected God.
Time. Money. Relationships. Idolatry.
They were not trusting or honoring God.
During those 24 days they were studying God's word.
Ezra would read the Bible & then explain it to them. Then they would break into small groups and further discuss.

Keep watch over yourself...this phrase is repeated over & over in the Bible.

Your soul doesn't have cruise control.
The moment you're not actively tracking you'll be backtracking.
You will drift if you don't pay attention.

LOSING THE CHANGE BECOMES EASIER WHEN : 

1. You let the wrong people in.
Behavior is contagious.
Fortunately, so is good behavior.
A flock of hawks is a kettle.
Reserving strength, conserve energy, gain altitude, better communication.
2. You are ambiguous about your change.
Exceptions become incredibly easy.
Chip & Dan Heath
Time-based : smart goals : Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant
From here, to here, by when
3. Don't shape your environment for success.
Don't leave everything to will-power.
Make it easy to do the right thing.
Set yourself up for success.
4. You have too much time on your hands.
The problems started when the building (of the wall) stopped.
They were busy doing God's work.
Always keep yourself fired up.
Keep serving, constantly.
The construction is never done.
The power of serving constantly.
5. You misunderstand failure.
The devil tempted them to do it, then he shamed them for it.
Not understanding the nature of God's grace!
Failure is necessary on the road to success.
Failure isn't a place to set up camp & live forever.

ACTS : week 17

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

The Gospel Goes Gentile
Acts 10

The door of salvation has opened up to all.

Christ is all that matters & he lives in all of us.

Peter "tore down the wall."

Luke documented this book.
We open up with Cornelius.

Cornelius 4 moral actions:
devout
feared God
gave generously to the poor
prayed continuously

He responds immediately to God's instructions.

God has a plan for us.

1. Why do you think God used food to teach this lesson to Peter?
Peter may have just been hungry.
God uses the simple to teach us.

2.  Do you see how many good things came from praying?
Often, set aside time to pray!

ACTS : week 16

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Life Lessons That Have Gotten Lost
Acts 9:23-43

As we study the books of Acts, we may see things that our mom's have repeated to us that we just haven't grasped.

1. What Goes In The Hamper?
Clothing.

Saul was being sought after. So to be let out of the city he climbed into a hamper (basket).

2. To Play Nice With The Other Kids.

There is hostility in letting others in your group.
Saul tried to join the disciples but they were scared of him.

The church was never meant to function as "the cool kids club."

Don't Hold Grudges

We often feel the hurt more than the other person.
Holding a grudge is like eating rat poison & hoping the rat dies.

3. Make Your Bed

All who lived there saw the crippled man get up and because of this great miracle they believed in Jesus.

God gives the greatest opportunities to minister to those who volunteer in ministry.

What a shame to not share your testimony with others.

4. It's Okay To Be A Dork

We're all concerned with our image.

Will your death bring much sadness?

ACTS : week 15

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Paul's Playlist For Getting Saved
Acts 9:1-15

We see the humble beginning of the apostle Paul.

1. Rage Against The Sheep

God created love.
The devil always tries to offer a substitution so he offers lust.

Vs 1 breathing threats & murder.

It only takes one compromise at a time to fall into deep sin.

It can all start with a seed of jealousy.

King Saul's corruption started with a song...his own son-in-law made him jealous.

What man uses for evil God can turn around for Good.

The issue is, who has control of your heart?

2. Falldown Boy

God shone down.
Saul falls down.
God asks, "why have you been persecuting Me?"

Saul recognizes he's talking to God and responds, "who are you Lord?"
God identifies Himself as Jesus.
Saul's equation God = Jesus = problem!
Saul's whole purpose was to prove Jesus wasn't God - he persecuted Christians.

Saul asks God, what do you want me to do?
God tells him to go the city and then He would tell him what to do.

A christian is a man who ceases what he wants to do & now does what Christ wants him to do.

Any time we feel God speaking to us, our response should be "here I am, Lord."

Saul turning to Christ would be like President Bush telling us to welcome Osama Bin Laden as one of our own. Trying to convince us that he had turned his life around.
Of course there were some who questioned Saul's intentions.

The more unlikely the vessel, the more likely God will get the glory when He uses that vessel.

The persecutor Saul became the preacher Paul.

Live a life of repentance.
Live a life of proclaiming Christ.

This is Paul's testimony. This is Paul's God-story.

Your testimony :
What you were like before Christ.
How you met Christ.
What your life has been like after meeting Christ.

ACTS : week 14

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

The Horse Whisperer
Acts 8:5-40

2nd division of the geographical portion
Judea & Samaria

Philip "whispered" about the Kingdom. (Had great awe for)
His name means he loves horses.

Who is Philip? An evangelist.
He wasn't always titled evangelist.
Philip was one of the 7 to feed the widows. (a glorified busboy)

He served where there was a need.
He utilized his gift of hospitality.
Whenever Paul was in Caesarea he liked to stay at Philip's home.
Which shows that even after Philip became an evangelist, he still hosted and was very hospitable.

If you have an empty glass and there's a pitcher of water next to it you could say the water is WITH you.
If you fill the glass with water from the pitcher then you could say it is IN you.
If you continue to pour the water from the pitcher to where it is overflowing constantly you could say that the water is UPON you.
God intends for the Holy Spirit to constantly be poured in and through you and be UPON you!

This is desert.

Things were going so well for Philip...and then this. He's commanded to go to the desert.

God gave him one command at a time.
When the Bible says lamp unto my feet - in those times the light only lit up the next step in front of you.

God can use the mundane parts of your life to weave it into His tapestry.

God raptured Philip and transferred him to another area.

ACTS : week 13

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

The Secret to Suffering
Acts 7:54-8:4

Stephen's stoning.
The first Christian to be martyred for his faith.

He was on trial and retraced Jewish history.
He showed their was a pattern in Jewish history of rebellion.
He showed them that they had rejected Jesus.

The secret to dying well.

1. Don't focus on the pain
Stephen didn't focus on the pain, he gazed into Heaven!
The Holy Spirit working through the church is emphasized all throughout the book of Acts.

His last words were not of despair but of destination.

The vehicle in which God ushers us into His presence or the closed door.

2. Don't think it's in vain
God brings good out of bad.
You are the salt of the earth.
Through persecution God helps get the Good Word out.

ACTS : week 12

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

A Bullet-Train Through the Bible
Acts 7:1-53

Stephen's overview of the Old Testament.

Two recurring themes:
1. God's faithfulness to keep His promises.
2. Point out the Jewish nations continual unfaithfulness at keeping their word.

God is consistent.

Stephen chose to emphasize the patriarchs.
1st : Abraham.
Isaac - Jacob - 12 prophets
Stephen is pointing out that God fulfilled His promise to Abraham.

Joseph.
He's pointing out that the patriarchs rebelled.

It is possible to suffer in the Will of God.

Moses.
For 40 years Moses thought he was somebody.
The next 40 years he found out he was a nobody.
The third 40 years he found out that God can use a somebody that knows they're a nobody.

Stephen would encourage you to know the History of the Bible.
When put on the spot you can give testimony to the Truths of Christ.

ACTS : week 11

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Whiny widows & the Word of God
Acts 6

If Jesus wasn't met with love, then of course becoming a Christian after His death would cause you to think that you would not be met with love either.

When your joy is based on something that can't be taken away - the church pure is the church powerful.

Proverbs 20:30 - pain is the most effective way God uses to clean out our lives.

The times of suffering are typically where we see the most growth.
God uses those times to really mold our character.

In chapter 2 God was adding to the church.
In chapter 5 He was removing hypocrisy from the church.
Now we see Him multiplying!

Pruning is a painful thing when God does it with our lives.
But! He subtracts so that we can BEAR MORE FRUIT!

Not all growth is good.

God is the God of customized plans!

Whatever your spiritual gift is - let it not cost nothing.
Take time to get rid of distractions.

The body of Christ is just like the human body.
We as the Christian body all bring different "talents, gifts, etc."
Just as the human body has all different parts (we're not all eyes).

Anytime you ask God to use you, there's a bullseye on your back...you will experience suffering.

Stephen was a man who was faithful in the small things.

ACTS : week 10

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

A Day In the Life Of An Apostle
Acts 5:12-42

1. They perform miracles.
Allow the Spirit to work in your life.

2. They go to jail.
At night an angel opened the doors.

Go tell them about this life - in a way that connects.

They loved Jesus so much that they rejoiced in their suffering for Him.

To preach is to proclaim.
To teach is to instruct.

ACTS : week 9

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

The Right Heart For A Write Off
Acts 4:32-5:11

Jesus is looking for passion & purity in your heart while you worship.

Redefine our terms.
This text has everything to do with worship.
Worship is not just singing praise to Jesus.

Why should we worship?

1. It's practice for Heaven.
We should plan our worship life like we plan our diet life.

2. It's obeying the Bible.

In the old testament the earliest form of worship was bringing an animal sacrifice.
It cost you something.

Worshipping God should never feel like a burden.

The Lord loves a cheerful giver.

Expression of Generosity.

An Exhibition of Charity.

ACTS : week 8

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

In Prison For Doing Good
Acts 4:1-31

How would you respond to being faced with prison time for something you didn't do?
How would you respond to being faced with prison time for something good that you did do?

Chapter 4 opens up with a persecution.

Not everyone is happy to hear Jesus' name preached.

They are put in jail overnight.

They are humble & willing to step out of the spotlight because in vs 8 Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit.

They were defined by their boldness. The righteous are as bold as a lion.

The more you spend time with Jesus the bolder you will become.

There is incredible power in a changed life.

ACTS : week 7

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Beauty From Ashes
Acts 3

The first miracle performed by an apostle.

a lame man --> a loving message

A man, lame from his mother's womb is laid at a gate called Beautiful.

This man was about to have an extreme makeover.

We see what our life was like before we found Jesus.

When God comes into your life, your life should look completely different.

Vs 12 - when Peter saw the attention of the crowd being turned toward this man, Peter decided to take the opportunity.

We can't take credit for things that God has done.
You are a tool, God is the source.
So Peter was giving credit to God for the miracle performed.

We're always "on the clock."

Keep The Change : week1

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Making Cents of Change

Acts 3

Peter & John

The Change you need might not be the change you want.

Are we too preoccupied to notice the need?

God didn't want to give him spare change, He wanted to give him LIFE change!!

His destiny was accessed through disappointment.

God has the power, but you still have to make the choice to rise up.

Healthy habits open you up to holy moments.

It might take new relationships to reach new places.

Acts 3:8

He stood up, walking & leaping & praising God.

Your revelation of God's grace becomes visible in your praise.

Luke 4:47

Psalm 45:1 

David committed adultery & murder and then things changed when God washed his sins away.

When God changes you and you praise Him publicly He can use that to change others.