Sorry Not Sorry : week 3

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Stick A Needle In Your Eye

Week 3 word or phrase : NO MORE!

*cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye*
Verify your sincerity.
To say you're really telling the truth.

We learn from the story of Saul and David that the true test of a sincere apology is the attention we give to the remedy.

Sincerity.
When we say sorry, are we sincere?

1 Samuel 18:6

Saul became very jealous of David.

Saul is trying to kill David.
Jonathan tries to talk his dad down.
Saul said he was trying to kill David for Jonathan (so Jonathan could become king).
David hides with the priests, Saul killed them.
David hid in caves for 10 years.
20 years between God giving him the dream of being king and David actually becoming king.

Will you hold onto a dream even when it seems impossible?

Finally Saul found where David was as he was backed into a cave.
Saul had to go to the restroom and decided to use the cave David was hiding in.
David cut off a part of Saul's robe and said, I could have killed you but I didn't.

Nothing is ever wasted, it's all preparation!

God puts to use what he puts us through!

Saul spent the better part of his life fighting the wrong enemy.
He thought David was his enemy, but Saul was his own worst enemy.

NO MORE!
When it comes to saying sorry, the acid of sincerity is change.
Do you live differently afterward?

1. If there's no follow through it will be déjà vu.
There can be no remedy without a 180!
Go and sin no more!
NO MORE!

2.  You can't guarantee perfect but you can give radical attention.
Change is a process.
Your heart has to be NO MORE! But you can't guarantee that.
You will give radical attention that you won't do it again.
Attention = special care.
If you don't get crazy with your sin, your sin will get crazy with you.

3. Don't just show it, you've gotta say it.
Don't make a promise you can't keep.
I want to change instead of I will change.

4. Behavior modification is powerless without heart transformation.
We focus on the outside when the inside is where the real problem is at.
Behavior is the fruit, your heart is your root.
True heart change is hating what you've done & hating what it's done to who you've hurt.

As it is in saying sorry, so it is with salvation.

Swipe Right : week 2

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

The Point Of No Return

Hebrews 12:16-17

Watch out for the Esau syndrome : trading away a lifelong gift, in order to satisfy a short-term appetite.

God can make a way, when there is no way!
The word impossible is not in God's vocabulary.

In Genesis 25
Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of soup.

The enemy has a pot of soup simmering for you.
Offered to you at just the right time : when you're worn down, stressed out, feeling unloved, etc.

You don't want what the devil's got in his crock-pot!
He's slow-cooking the death of your calling.

1. Your desires can keep you from your destiny!
Feeling good is NOT the highest good.
The temporary can keep us from the eternal.
The enemy doesn't want us to enjoy the marriage that God has planned for us.

2. When your stomach is empty your standards are lower!
When you're hungry you are more susceptible to make bad choices.
If you're unclear about your calling you'll put a lower value on your self.
Know your worth.
Jesus always spoke, "it is written."
Knowing God's words will help you to not want to sin.
God's word says. God's word says.
Before you go out, hide scripture in your heart!

I am chosen! I am loved! I am called! I am equipped!
My Father in Heaven loves me!

Difference between forgiveness & consequences!
God would much rather be blessing you.

Don't let your spiritual stomach get empty.

3. In all you do think follow through!
Learn to slow down & make wise choices.
Eternal life = death is not the end in the road, it's a bend in the road.
Think about the impact your actions will have on your family tree.
Look Up, live Up.
Seek a calling on your life.
Now yells louder, later lasts longer.
Think of the later.
Instant gratification will keep you back from ultimate satisfaction!

Your entire life can change in just a moment of time.

No one can un-eat the soup you've eaten.

It's better to do things God's way.
He's not trying to keep you from fun, He's keeping you from regret.

Your consequences remain, but God can restore & bless you if you choose to allow Him.

Sorry Not Sorry : week 2

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Find Your Spine

Cain (Adam's son) committed murder, and hid what he did. 

Repentance is one of the most important things you can teach your children.

Positive example of an apology in the life of Judah.

Genesis 44:16-34

It takes courage to apologize.

When you lift something heavy, you should lift with your legs and not your back.

But God asks you to "put your back into it."

NO MORE COWARDLY APOLOGIES

Word for week 2: Ownership

If you don't own your failures, they will own you!

Backstory:

22 years before

Judah and 10 of his brothers were outside in the field.

Benjamin was a boy in the house.

Joseph was tied up, bound and gagged in a pit - the brothers decided to murder him and it was all Judah's idea.

Joseph had been the favorite, his dad gave him the coat of many colors.

Judah then has a change of heart...can't kill him, sell him into slavery.
Took the coat, dipped in animal's blood, and took the coat to their father.

13 years go by

Pick up your cross & follow me.

If you're willing to lose your life for His sake, you'll find true Life!

Keep your heart pure.

When opportunities increase, so will opposition.

If God has great things for you, you better be training for the trial you're not yet in.

After the Dove comes the devil.

After revelation comes tribulation!

Joseph goes to prison and isn't claiming, "I'm an innocent man!" 

He asks the prison guard what he can do to make his life easier/better. 

God isn't looking for ability, He's looking for availability. 

He starts interpreting dreams.

He then interprets Pharaoh's dreams.

Then he's able to help his family that sold him into slavery when the famine comes.

When you're plagued with guilt it sucks the joy right out of you.

When your conscience is guilty you see God's blessings as burdens.
When you're guilty your vision is clouded with suspicion.

Reuben said, you can kill my sons if we don't bring Benjamin back.
Judah 'found his spine' and said, blame me if Benjamin doesn't come back.

vs 16
God has found out the inequity of your servants.

Walk in forgiveness, don't wallow in it!

James McDonald - Humble Yourself

John 13:1

1. When it's hardest to love, humble yourself.
Nowhere are we told to "be humble."

He was 'this close' to the cross and he washed the disciples feet.

2. When it's personal & painful, humble yourself.

Vs 3 changes from when to how

3. See the big picture

Authority
1. You will win
No weapon formed against you will prosper
2. You will exult
To show or feel a lively triumphant joy
"The victory dance"

Identity
Romans 8
1. You are loved!
2. You are accepted!
3. You are a conqueror!

4. Just do it
Humble yourself!
Humility is a do thing!
When Jesus washed the disciples feet, he did it with humility. Humility is a DO thing!
7 verbs :
Rose
Laid
Took
Tied
Poured
Wash
Wipe

Love Without Condition
1. Ask for help
2. Apologize first - no defense
3. Kneel with God in humble prayer
4. Admit you have a problem

Grace flows to humility.

5. Don't debate, just humble yourself.

Sorry Not Sorry : week 1

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Get Your But(t) Out Of It

Working on the art of the apology.

We hurt people that are closest to us.

We let people down.

We don't live in a perfect world.

James 3

If you could become the master of your tongue, you would never make mistakes.

It's not do you fail, it's how do you fail?

How you respond to the sin in your life is the most important thing about you?

Do you fail well?

Do you move forward in the correct direction?

The inability to apologize is what neutralizes so many of our relationships.

"I'm sorry."

Are two of the most abused and misused words in our vocabulary.

A non-apology is NOT an apology.

Our relationships require apologies.

2 Corinthians 7:10

There's more than one way to say sorry.

If we can figure out how to own our failures, they won't be able to control us.

3 elements that are necessary in a proper apology

1. responsibility

2. regret

3. remedy

Genesis 3:6-21

Phrase for week 1 : "Come clean."

We're all infected with sin.

We're sinners by nature & by choice.

Not focusing on what they did, rather what they did next.

Big picture : God said don't do something & they did it anyway...now it becomes relatable.

You can't be clean, if you won't come clean.

You will never be free of your guilt until you admit what you did.

1. You need to get your but(t) out of the trees your hiding among

The devil will condemn you over what he tempted you to do.

When you sin, run to Jesus.

When you sin, don't hide.

Hiding never helps!

Numbers - your sin will find you out!

God is the worst to play hide & seek with!

Sin gives you a false sense of assurance.

God gently asked, "where are you?" when he could have just killed him on the spot.

God wanted to give Adam a chance to confess.

Sin will make you think God is out to get you.

When you hear the voice of God you may hear a siren...it's not a police siren, it's an ambulance siren!

Proverbs 28:13

2. You need to get your but(t) out of the excuses you're hiding behind

We always lose when we try to excuse.

If there's an excuse in your apology then it's a sorry excuse of an apology.

Admit guilt and then shut up!

BUT is not allowed in our apologies.

When you add but into your apology anything you said before it you don't believe, you mean everything you say after it.

You can either apologize or give an excuse but you can't do both.

I'm sorry AND I won't do it again!

3. You need to get your but(t) out of those fig leaves you're hiding under

God can't clothe what you try to cover up!

Sin makes you do things that are stupid.

They covered themselves with fig leaves, which have been called itchy.

God hates hypocrisy.

Say you washed the outside of your dirty dish and continued to eat out of it, that's disgusting!

But it's the same with sin...you covering it up may make it look okay on the outside, but really you're dirty on the inside still.

God had such a better plan.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life!

Swipe Right : week 1

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Water Everywhere And Not A Drop To Drink

Learning to live carefully.

Exodus 15

Life and death and the power of our marriage beds.
Free from regret.

Vs 22
3 days in the wildness and had no water

Exodus 2:12
Moses looked left and right when he killed the man but forgot to look up.
We need to look to Heaven.

1. God wants you to have amazing sex!

God designed sex.
Genesis 2:24
The two shall become one flesh.

2. Sex is not just pleasurable, it's powerful!

3. The problem isn't having a sex drive, it's letting sex drive!

Nothing about the design of sex has changed, it's our attitude toward it that has changed.

We're so over-saturated that there's a diminished capacity for the enjoyment of sex.

The cross can make what is bitter taste sweet again!

Keep The Change : week 5

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Get Ahead of Yourself

Apathy ends where gratitude begins.

The potential released through lasting change.

2 episodes of David
1 Samuel 21:8-9
1 Samuel 17:48-54

1st episode : Goliath

David wasn't looking at the physical stuff, he was looking at the invisible.

Before he even got to the battle, he prepared himself first.
On his knees before Still Waters.
What does this show us? Worship before war!

2nd episode : King Saul

A few years have gone by since the battle with Goliath.

King Saul became jealous of David.
King Saul lacked in character.
He tried to kill David 6 times.
David would just dodge the spear and not retaliate.
Jonathan (David's best friend) told him to get out of town.
David spent 10 years on the run.
Nob was David's first spot to go - Nob was a sanctuary - where the Arc was kept.

God is more interested in saving lives than religious protocol!
Error on the side of grace!

Get ahead of yourself!
In a positive way!

Proverbs 4:26
Ponder the path of your feet and let all of your ways be established.

Am I where I want to be?

Getting by : succeeding with the least possible effort.
We're satisfied with too little.

God doesn't want you to get by...He wants you to get ahead.
He wants your cup to overflow.

You don't have to have a future that you don't like.
We reap what we sow.
We're capable of making decisions in the present that will influence what we will experience later.

WHAT YOU FIGHT THROUGH WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!!

1. Be courageous
David took the time to be still, then he RAN toward the giant!
Pick your battles...but run toward them!
You'll no longer have to be afraid of it anymore.

2. Be generous
The battle belonged to God.
The first thing David did was "tithe" the sword to God.
Then a few years later, he was able to receive the sword back.
What does my lack of giving keep God from giving me?

3. Be constant
Unchangingly faithful & dependable.
Don't be two-faced.
Be sincere.
Be steady.
Perform in private (just for God) and then you can perform in public.
You can't have tomorrow's victories without today's struggles.
Sing to the sheep!
What were you doing to honor God in private?
David had been faithful over the flock, so it wasn't anything new when he needed to defend God's flock (in killing Goliath).

4. Be loyal
David was loyal most of all to God.
At Nob David got bread (for his stomach) and a sword (for his struggle).
When you gather in God's house, every time you get bread & a blade.
God's word is a double-edged sword!
Max Lucado - Facing Your Giants
You know well the roar of Goliath.
Life your eyes giant-slayer.