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.

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!