The Nines #7

The Nines #7
Nine Statements that Will Change Your Life!

Matthew 5:9 (NIV)
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

What is “Peace?”

John 14:27 (NIV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 16:33 (NIV)
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

• Peace is not the absence of conflict. In fact, often peace comes from conflict.
• Peace is the absence of turmoil. The inner struggle that comes when we view conflict incorrectly.

2 ways to have a heart of peace:

1. Don’t focus on your own interests!

Philippians 2:1-5 (NIV)
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

2. Let God work out revenge!

Romans 12:17-20
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

4 Peace Stoppers:

1. The Need for Vindication
2. The Need for Personal Recognition
3. The Fear of Being Hurt or Let Down
4. The Fear of Being Insignificant or Insecure

We do not have to live a “Victimized” Christianity. This reality is the bottom line to a heart of peace.

For further reading: The Anatomy of Peace, The Arbinger Institute

The Nines #6

The Nines #6
Nine Statements that will Change Your Life

Matthew 5:8 (New International Version)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

James 3:13-18 (New International Version)
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Why does Jesus care about our heart so much?

What we do comes from our heart:

Proverbs 4:23 (New International Version)
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 20:5 (New International Version)
The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.

Matthew 15:17-19 (New International Version)
Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man “unclean.” For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Proverbs 16:2 (New International Version)
All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

God doesn’t care about what you know:

John 5:39-40 (New International Version)
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

God cares about how your actions reflect His love for you toward others.

Psalm 15 (New International Version)
LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

When we keep our hearts pure, God reveals Himself to us.

Romans 12:1-2 (New International Version)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The Nines #1

The Nines
9 Statements That Will Change the World

#1

What are the Beatitudes?

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Matthew 5:1-3 (ESV)
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

What does it mean to be “Blessed?”

• The Greek word is: Μακαριοι

What does it mean to be Poor in Spirit?

Philippians 3:7-8 (ESV)
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Matthew 10:39
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Luke 12:15
Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

**It means that in our soul, we own nothing. How many possessions we have or don’t have is of no importance. Our life circumstances are of no importance. The only thing that matters is getting in the bulls eye of God’s Will.

How do we know that we are fulfilling the challenge to be poor in spirit?

Matthew 5:3b
“…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

**We can know that we are becoming poor in spirit when the priorities of this type of blessing are being realized in our life.

How do I know when I am holding on too tightly?

1. When you don’t let go of material things and assume that you know how to manage your possessions better than God.

2. God asks us to tithe back to Him. We are not poor in spirit when we make excuses to not do that.

3. We are holding on too tightly when we refuse to forgive.

4. Anytime that we make excuses to avoid service to others.