It’s all about God!

Three Seasons Community Church– 11-11-07

It’s all about God

Romans 11:36 [LB] Everything was created for God’s glory

Implication: Loving God is my very first priority

Mark 12:28-31 (NLT)

One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" [29] Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. [30] And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' [31] The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these." [Matthew 22:34-40]

Am I emotionally healthy? = Heart

Am I spiritually healthy = Soul

Am I intellectually healthy = Mind

Am I physically healthy = Strength

Am I loving others?

Matthew 22:40 (NLT) All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."

Revelation 2:4-5 (NLT) But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! [5] Look how far you have fallen from your first love! Turn back to me again and work as you did at first. If you don't, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.

When you become familiar with something you begin to take it for granted!

How are you kindling your relationship with Jesus?

John 15:21 [CEV] People will do to you exactly what they did to me. They will do it because you belong to me, and they don't know the one who sent me.

Loving Jesus will upset others around you!

Materialism– When you love God more than things It makes people who love things nervous & irritates them– Luke 16:13-14–TEV

Luke 16:13-14 "No servant can be the slave of two masters; such a slave will hate one and love the other or will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." [14] When the Pharisees heard all this, they made fun of Jesus, because they loved money.

Mammon, the comprehensive word for all kinds of possessions, earnings, and gains, a designation of material value, the god of materialism.

Is there anything more important than your relationship with Jesus?

Are you an undercover pharisee in some area[s] of your life? Outwardly saying you love God but inwardly really loving ____________.

Immoral Lifestyle– Don’t want to change their lifestyle

John 3:19 [NLT] Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

Are there any areas of your life where you love darkness instead of the light?

Ephesians 4:20-32 (NLT)

But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about Christ. [21] Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, [22] throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. [23] Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. [24] You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness-righteous, holy, and true.

[25] So put away all falsehood and "tell your neighbor the truth" because we belong to each other. [26] And "don't sin by letting anger gain control over you." Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, [27] for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.

[28] If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. [29] Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. [30] And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

[31] Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. [32] Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Peer Pressure– Love Popularity more than doing the right thing– John 12:43–TEV

John 12:43 [TEV] They loved human approval rather than the approval of God.

Is the approval of God more important than the approval of others?

How are you doing with those?

How do we keep these areas in balance?

By knowing the 4 areas and memorizing this scripture Mark 12:30-31

By periodically evaluating how you’re doing

By doing what it takes to bring them back into balance