Swipe Right : week 6

Jennie Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Becoming The One

We must be concerned with our own relationship with Christ.

Becoming the one...

1. In the Field

In our single years

Genesis 24:64 The coming together of Isaac & Rebecca.

A lot of prayer & seeking God.

John 4:35

Being in the field means being in the church.

Loving God, loving people.

Tend to your own heart...cultivate a heart and soul that seeks Jesus first.

We need to be careful how we depend on people to fill a need only God can fulfill.

Shalom : peace, harmony, wholeness

Becoming the one...

2. In the Garden

The garden referring to marriage.

Marriage is spelled W-O-R-K

You'll never be right with your mate unless you're right with your Maker.

Some good questions to ask yourself: 

How is my walk with Jesus?

What is it like being married to me? Book by Linda Dillow

Luke 10:27

Ephesians 5:21

Don't get lazy in marriage.

Keep loving, keep cherishing, especially when you don't feel like it!

Becoming the One...

3. In light of His return

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 & 5:1-6

Our King is coming soon!!

They is to be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 4:2

Luke 19

Luke 18:8

Unnecessary Roughness : week 3

Lysa Terkeurst  - guest speaker at Fresh Life

The Rejection Infection

The power of gentleness when unleashed in our lives.

We all have a story.
We all have a story we tell ourselves.

Unnecessary roughness : rejection

Healed people, heal people.

God's words need to be THE words of our story.

Rejection steals the best of who I am by reinforcing the worst that's been said to me.
We have an opportunity to flip that!

1 Samuel 25
Nabal (Hebrew pronunciation : nay-val)
Nabal is mean & rude outside the home (so most likely he is the same or worse at home)
Abigail is his wife. Abigail is described as beautiful and intelligent.

David being picked to be the new king :
Jesse (David's father) didn't even give David a chance at first.
Jesse left David out in the field to tend to the sheep.
Overlooked by everyone else, but hand-picked by God!
God might not be setting you aside, but setting you apart.
Being set apart always requires preparation.

Unnecessary roughness happens to me by me most of the time.

1 Samuel 22:2
The people surrounding David were disgruntled, in debt...what a fun bunch to be around.

David and his men would sleep around Nabal's flocks as a wall of protection.
David felt he had done Nabal a favor so he asked for special food for festival time.
David's men returned and said Nabal had said, "Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse?"
At the name of his father it probably would have stirred up strong emotions.
David probably pulled the pain of his past rejection to his current circumstance.
Compound reaction, not from the situation at hand but from the hurt from the past.

A servant told Abigail that trouble was coming.
Abigail gathered more food than was originally requested.
Abigail didn't tell her husband.
vs 24 Abigail is also brave.
David threatened to kill Naval's whole family.
Abigail still went down on her knees and probably whispered to David so as not to humiliate him.
Abigail knew David was anointed to be king.
Abigail was trying to tell David, "do not let today's reaction be tomorrow's regret!"
Abigail was trying to tell David revenge would do him no good.

Humility opens up the door of opportunity for other's to listen to us.
Pride & disgrace hold hands.
Proverbs tells us humility holds hands with wisdom.
Humility is not a position of weakness, it is a position of great strength.

vs 28 you are on assignment by God. Do not derail this assignment from God because of a distraction.

The enemy wants to steal, kill & destroy.
The devil is vicious but NOT victorious!

God was good then (when you defeated Goliath), and God is good now!

He did it then, He will do it again.
Trace God's hand of faithfulness in our life!

Abigail fought to save the life of her greatest burden (her husband).

God is GREAT at being God!

There is a big difference of thinking a lot about something and praying a lot about something.

1 Samuel 25:42
Abigail becomes David's wife.
In the end it doesn't end in a fairytale, David gets caught up with concubines & has an affair.
But who's story ties up in a neat, nice bow?
Not everyone's story is "happily ever after."

The root of rejection produces rotten fruit.

Rejection hurts. Rejection is painful.

God's love changes everything.

Remind yourself : circumstances & people may not be good to me, but GOD IS GOOD to me.

Our neediness easily turns into greediness.

God's love isn't based on me, God's love is placed on me!

It's impossible to hold up the banner of victim and victory at the same time.

The source of your courage is not your own strength.
You're more courageous than you even know, because God's courage is in you.

Your deepest desperation will be God's biggest declaration.
Relief from your unbelief.
Rejection is not your final destination.

Sorry Not Sorry : week 7

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Off The Hook

Word for the week : similarly 

Matthew 18:21-35

May our relationships matter too much to be disrupted by our pride. 

Your apology needs : Regret - Responsibility - Remedy 

How to be apologized to...

Peter (Jesus' #1 disciple - even though he made tons of mistakes)

On what basis do you decide to let people off the hook?

Peter asked Jesus how often must you forgive, up to 7 times?

*The sincerity can be tested through your willingness to fight to change!*

If Saul keeps throwing the spear, is there a point I stop forgiving him?

Peter thought he was being gracious. The law said three strikes and you're out. So Peter thought by doubling the law and adding another he was being gracious...7 times?

Jesus said 70x7! Jesus did not mean 490 times, he meant, forgiveness should be endless...

Less math, more love!

Love doesn't keep a record of wrongs.

Jesus told a parable to show this 70x7.

We are supposed to approach others similarly as to how Jesus approaches us when we ask Him to forgive us.

Forgiveness flows from the cross.

Your forgiveness is not about you, it's about Jesus!

Colossians 2:14 God wiped out our debts.

If you've been freely forgiven, then you ought to freely forgive.

Develop the ability to win and lose well. Win and lose with a gracious spirit. 

Apologize properly, and be apologized to properly.

1. You're never more like God than when you forgive.

#1 goal should be : be a better little Christ

God is a forgiver - Psalm 103:8

When we are forgiving, slow to anger, abounding in mercy there is glory in that!

Proverbs 19:11

We have been given the responsibility to reflect and respond and give God the glory.

2. Don't hold out for a perfect apology.

Knowledge is power and we must not hold people to the standard we hold ourselves to.

Don't be quick to judge others apologies.

Call yourself out on your own failures.

Give more grace to others than you do for yourself.

There is room to meekly say why don't we hold on a couple days.

Don't put a bandaid on a bullet wound...

Make sure your tone and body language are humble.

Humility is attractive, pride is repulsive, and a little grace goes a long way.

Before you completely write them off with all of their but, but, but... can you find small things to encourage...at least they are here and apologizing. It may not be perfect, but they are allowing a little vulnerability.

3. Don't keep them dangling.

If you're going to let them off the hook, let them off the hook.

When you tell someone "will you forgive me?" you are giving them power over you.

QUIT SAYING THESE THINGS IN RESPONSE: 

a. don't worry about it. b. it's okay. c. oh that was nothing. d. didn't hurt my feelings at all. e. you don't need to apologize for that. f. forget about it.

Don't sweep it under the rug.

Don't dismiss their feelings as invalid.

SAY THIS instead : "I accept your apology." and "I forgive you."

That does NOT terminate consequences.

4. You don't have to accept apologies that aren't given.

Nobody can be forgiven against their will.

When Sorry Isn't Enough by Gary Chapman

You must ask forgiveness to be forgiven.

5. When you let go of grudges it releases God's grace.

Just because they haven't said 'I'm sorry' doesn't mean you have to let it become a root of bitterness.

Don't foster resentment.

You can be willing to extend forgiveness to someone who hasn't given an apology.

To love the unlovable, or those who have harmed you is to be Christ-like.

You don't have to develop a wounded spirit or a victim mentality. 

You don't have to be defined by what has been done to you.

Your identity isn't from your pain, it's from God's pleasure.

You can be free, free indeed, in Jesus Name! 

6. If you are stingy with forgiveness it hurts you in the end.

The man who didn't forgive was tortured/tormented.

A spirit of generosity & graciousness can help you.

Look to the cross!

"Forgive us our debts, God, as (similarly/like) we forgive our debtors."

God casts our sins to the depths of the ocean - as far as east is to west.

Don't keep lists of wrongdoings.

We can cut ourselves off from the benefit of salvation.

If you want grace, you have to give grace!

Come clean. Ownership. No more! Forgiveness. Ego. Straight-away. Similarly. 

Confess!!

Confession isn't only meant to be toward God, but also to one-another. 

So often we stop at confessing to God.

Healing takes place in our relationships if we're willing to confess our sins to the ones we've sinned against.

May by the grace of God can we find healing.

Swipe Right : week 5

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Magic Beans and the In-Betweens

Galatians 6:9

Judges 16:19

We can prevent and treat sexual scars by living carefully today.

Live right in God's sight.

An ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.

Hurting with Hope still hurts.

It's always better to do things God's way.

There is Hope for you!

vs 22 but before long his hair began to grow back.

Max Lucado:

You'll get through this.

It won't be painless.

It won't be quick.

But God will use this mess for good.

Don't be foolish or naive.

But don't despair either.

With God's help, you'll get through this.

1. Seeds Start Small

Faith can transform something tiny and turn it into something massive.

Little things can become big for both good and evil.

Cath the little foxes.

The devil isn't playing checkers, he's playing chess.

Don't despise the days of small things.

Plant something because it has the potential to grow.

Victory comes to those who can see past the seed.

2. Seeds Grow Slow

There are no magic beans, just in-betweens.

Remain faithful in-between results.

Faithfulness to do something good over time. 

God wants to cultivate patience & endurance.

Bruno Mars : success is being dedicated to a craft, spending thousands of hours getting it right, fighting to get better and better and better!

Trust the process of walking with Jesus.

Careful living of every day.

3. Seeds Sprout Out

It will be worth it!

Don't give up!

Fight today for the future God has for you.

Isaiah 60:22 in it's time I will do it swiftly.

Progress isn't always visible. 

Sorry Not Sorry : week 6

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Too Late To Apologize?

Luke 15
the prodigal son
Word or phrase for the week : STRAIGHT AWAY

2 Corinthians 7:10
Godly sorry leads to repentance.

Genesis 4 : sin is crouching at the door of your life.
God said you must rule over it, so it can't rule over you!!

Be the master over your sin.

A common put-down to Jesus was : He's friends of sinners.
To Jesus that was a great compliment.

Jesus is like a doctor. He hangs out with the sick and those in need of healing.

Vs 17 "Then he came to himself."

Restore honor & respect!

The prodigal son's money ran out. A famine happened in the land. He reached out to his "friends" but they ignored him.

When you come to yourself, your go to your Father.

When you sin it's easier to sin than to come back to your Father.

The prodigal son's dad rushed to him to be a shield for his shame.

God sent Jesus to be a shield for our shame!

Jesus doesn't want you to work for Him, He wants relationship with You!

The prodigal son that left didn't hide his sin. The older brother is a prodigal son that hid his sin.

1. It's never too late to do the right thing.
Jesus chose to make this so over the top to demonstrate that there's no one so far gone that they can't be saved. He's a Restorer, a Healer, a Forgiver, a great Physician! God can make a way where there is no way! You bring that first brick to rebuild the bridge.
2. Value the relationship being right above being right.
We always want to be the hero. Quit with the self-defense.
3. It's hip to be square, but don't stop there.
Remedy must involve restitution. Are we good now? Not until you restore what's lost. Luke 19:8 sacrificially demonstrating the penance of his sin.
4. Make sure your apology gets to the right place.
He's apologized to Jesus & his dad. But don't over apologize, some things are better left between you & God.
5. There might not be a tomorrow.
Straight away without delay.
It's never too late to apologize, as long as it's still today.
Hebrews 3:13
"...lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
Ephesians 4:26-27
"...anger gives a foothold to the devil."
You're not promised tomorrow.
Be very quick to apologize.

Sorry Not Sorry : week 5

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Big Head, High Horse, Tight Pants

Luke 18:9
Word for the week : EGO

Face your failures and learn from your mistakes.

The biggest hurdle in apologies : pride!

The presence of pride will poison your apology.
Humility is the best friend to the apology.

We're looking at a parable.

Backstory:
Jesus & the disciples are there.
There were people that trusted in themselves that thought they were righteous.
They thought people who weren't as 'holy' as they were didn't matter at all.

God wanted to convict who he was talking to about their own pride.
In a roundabout way Jesus liked to take your sin and put it on someone else so you could see what it looks like.
Looking at two men : a Pharisee and Tax Collector

The Tax Collector : "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner."

God calls us to love God & love others.

Why was one man's apology good & the other's not?

1. Half-apologies only make things worse.

"If you're going to bow, bow low." Chinese proverb
If it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing with all your heart!
If you're going to apologize, apologize fully.

Proverbs 30:12 "They are pure in their own eyes, but they are filthy and unwashed."

2. Pride is poison.

The only way to be fixed, is to be broken.

Mercy is where God gives you what you don't deserve.
I wish You would make a way where there is no way.

Psalm 51

He who humbles himself will be exalted.

Humility is the lifeblood of the apology.

You can't bow low if you're stuck up.

3. Body language matters.
65% of communication is body language
Prepare your body language.
For the pharisee his body language revealed he thought he deserved greatness and thought he was righteous.

4. Don't make your apology all about you.
The apologies heart beats for the offended.
Sympathy can become an enemy of your apology.
The point is for the offender to be clear whose pain matters.
Little things make big differences.

5. Focusing on yourself leads to despair.
A man full of pride & it lead to nothing good.
The man who focused on God went home forgiven.
An apology without an apology can't be accepted.

The difference between Judas and Peter's apologies :
Judas was sorry - he tried to give the money back. But then he was so full of pride and despair that he hung himself.
Peter was sorry - he wept bitterly. Then in John 21 : Peter was out fishing. "Cast your nets on the right side of the boat." John says to Peter, "That's Jesus." So Peter puts on his coat (doesn't even make sense, but that's okay his focus was Jesus), jumps out of the boat and swims to shore (the boat beat him there - but that's okay, because his focus was Jesus and only Jesus).
Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
Lean into Jesus' forgiveness and thank Him for it.

Swipe Right : week 4

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Worth Fighting For

Exodus 17

Proverbs 18:22

Moses is headed to the Promise Land.

From this day forward...

Where there is power God commands strength.

Where there is unity God provides blessing.

Jesus is meant to be the center.

Song of Solomon 2:15

The enemy likes to sow seeds.

Nip these things in the bud.

You need to fight FOR your relationship not just fight IN your relationship.

Moses was up on the hill praying over the battle. He was raising the rod of God. A picture of worship, a picture of surrender.

Sword drawn like Joshua.

Both praying & practical.

Arms raised & sword drawn.

Faith should lead to actions.

Strategy dealing with conflict.
Conflict is not optional.
The enemy opposes anything God starts.

1. Keep a cool head

Limit the things that get your blood boiling.

Sin makes you stupid.

2. Build your life on the rock.

Honor. Honor up, honor down, honor all around.

Doy ou life with the right people.