SNS - Room 101 Series

Room 101 Series (2/4)
Pastor Steven at Elevation Church

"Running From Your Life"

1 Kings 18:46 to 19:5 (ESV)

And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Arab to the entrance of Jezreel. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came up to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers." And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat."

Mark 4:35-41 (ESV)

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be Still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

• We don't have to fear what we face when we know who were trusting in.
• The only thing we ever have to be afraid of is that we would live one moment outside of the protection of God.
• If Jesus is on board, the storm is out-ranked.
• The Savior, isn't just beside us following us. He's in us.
• We limit ourselves if we believe that God never uses people who feel fear.
• The people God uses aren't fearless, they are just faithful.
• They go forward for God not because they never have fear, but because the presence of God and trust in a God who is greater.
• Faith is not the absence of fear but the presence of a stronger trust in a greater God even when we're facing our greatest fears.
• Display our doubts with one drop of God's Word at a time.

1 Kings 19:5-8 (ESV)

And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat." And he looked and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you." And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

• Even the strongest human courage is a limited resource!
• There will come a time where we've all had enough.
• Don't run from the life God has called you to!

1. Get Up and Eat

• God's people aren't called to be fearless, but faithful.
• We receive God's power by consuming God's promises.
• The reason some of us are dominated by fear isn't because we don't have any faith, but because we aren't feeding the faith we have.
• We can't walk in courage, if our courage is malnourished.
• Feed the faith God has given you until your faith is bigger then your fear, then your faith can run your fear out of your heart and you can do what God has called you to do.
• If God removed all our fear, then we wouldn't depend on Him.
• Feed the faith God has put inside of you!
• We can feed our soul and be strong; or we can malnourish our souls and not want to live the life God has given us.
• If we eat words of fear and discouragement or cowardness long enough we will become fearful, discouraged, a coward, etc.
• If we can't/won't feed our faith with what God has put right by our head, how can we expect God to take away our fears when He's already done so much for us?!
• There is no excuse for us not feeding our faith.
• Eat what's right by your head!
• Feed your faith, and your fear won't stand a chance!

2. Go Out and Stand

1 Kings 19:9-13 (ESV)

There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with teh sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away." And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

• What are you doing here? What are you accomplishing by {fill in the blank}? What are you doing in the cave you're in?
• We can't see God when we're in a cave, and that's exactly how fear wants it.
• Fear wants to obstruct our view of God.
• What are you doing in the cave, {insert your name}?
• God whispers to us, because He's close.
• The devil shouts lies, but God whispers truth.
• God's not going to overpower our fears by shouting louder or by showing off. If we don't know God is God by everything He's created, we won't ever know who God is. God doesn't need to show off for us. He needs to whisper.
• Jesus doesn't overpower our fears by shouting louder, but my calling me closer!!!
• Get out of the cave, what are you doing in there?!
• In the cave our fear can grow because the devil grows stuff in the dark.
• If the devil can keep us in ignorance, he can shout at our soul and he can take me from 0 to 70 and we'll be running 200 miles away from our lives.
• The devil can throw whatever thought he wants to throw our way, but if we can get in the presence of God we won't be scared of anything the enemy says.
• Why would we be scared of something like that, or someone like satan? He can't hurt us!
• We have to go to where the light is.
• If satan can't keep us in the dark, he can't keep us in fear.
• Are you ready to check out of the cave?
• The Spirit of the Lord is in me (and you)! Tap into Him.

1 Kings 19:15-19 (ESV)

And the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him" So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.

• Get up and eat, go out and stand, and ...

3. Get Back to Work

• Don't let the fear of what we're facing be greater then God's voice!
• We have to go back the way we came. We have to get back in the direction of what God's called us to.
• We've been feeling sorry for ourselves long enough.
• Doubting, fearing, hurting long enough.
• Wandering, wondering, wishing long enough.
• Dying on the inside long enough.
• {insert blank} long enough.
• CHRIST ALONE!!

SNS - Room 101 Series

Room 101 Series (1/4)
Pastor Steven at Elevation Church

"Forever Fearful, Never Scared"

1 John 4:18 (ESV)

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

• God's love drives out fear.
• Perfect love turns fear out of doors.
• The child of God never has to live in fear of what life brings their way.
• The only limit fear has to place on our lives is what we allow fear to limit.
• Don't fear what they fear, don't be dismayed at what they're dismayed at. Because God is with us and He will uphold us.
• We don't have to be afraid!!

Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge."

• We are to be forever fearful of the Lord, but never scared.

Genesis 3:10-11 (ESV)

And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"

• The fear that we feel is usually the result of a lie (from satan) that we have believed.

Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

• In Adam (our condition apart from Christ) we hide from God because in our sin we have everything to fear. But in Christ we worship God because in His righteousness we have nothing to hide.
• Perfect love drives out fear.
• The fear of the Lord is different then being scared of God.
• When we're scared of God we're scared of what He's going do to us because of what we've done against Him.
• But when we realize that the love of God means that God already did to Jesus what He should have done to us, the fear of the Lord is no longer being scared of God; the fear of the Lord is being terrified to be outside of His protection.
• Don't fear God out of intimidation because if God wanted to destroy us He could, but He wants me to respect Him and love Him out of intimacy.
• The fear of the Lord is "God I never want to do anything that would land me out of your protection because I know I can't do anything that would land me outside of your love."
• I don't want to do anything that would land me outside your protection God.
• The fear of the Lord is routed in our understanding of His love for us; and the only thing that we would ever be afraid of is to land outside His protection.
• Faith in God is not the absence of fear, faith in God is the presence of Christ bigger then any fear that I face.
• Fear stands at the doorway of every destiny and says "I dare you to come up here" and the enemy plants fear at every threshold of our life.
• Fear comes to stop somebody who God has called to do something before they ever get the opportunity to do it.
• Our fear isn't an indication that we won't ever do anything great for God, it's actually a sign that the enemy is threatened by us and has dispatched something in our hearts to keep us from getting where God has called us.
• If we get free of our fear, we'll set others free too.
• Fear needs to meet God's love.
• God's love comes in and says thank you very much, but you can't stand here anymore.
• God's love turns fear out of doors.
• God's love says, "fear you gotta go, you can't hold down {insert name} anymore"
• The love of God is bigger, the love of God is greater, the love of God is stronger then any fear could ever be.
• Stand up to fear and say, "Whatcha gonna do fear, when the love of God casts you out."

SNS - Waiting Room Series

Considering my engagement just ended, I have now entered a period of waiting. Waiting for what comes next, waiting to learn why all this happened, and waiting to know what God wants for me. I knew this series existed, but I didn't feel as though it was the right time for me to listen to it. I decided now was a good time, and I really needed a spiritual pick me up considering I'm feeling very spiritually depressed.
---
Waiting Room Series, Sermon 1
Holly Furtick (Elevation Church)

"If I have to wait, I'm gonna get to work."

Acts 16:16-40 (NIV)
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

Acts 1:4 (NIV) - "Wait for the gift"

** What seems to be a pointless or even painful waiting room may be God's most productive workroom.

• Remember that even in the smallest tasks, we are part of a bigger work for God.
• A workroom is the opposite of a waiting room.

1. Resist the urge to complain and fill the situation with praise.

• Don't talk about when you're going to do as soon as you get out.

Numbers 14:26-29 - God hates complaining!
- God takes complaining very seriously, and may actually make the situation worse because of complaining.

• We should take our focus off the complaining and focus on the blessings God has placed in our lives.

Philippians 2:14-15 (NIV)
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky

• My attitude can cause me to shine like a star.

Acts 16:25 (NIV)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
- All people notice us, and watch us. Especially when we are in unfair situations.

• We can show people that Jesus has made a difference in our lives or make people dislike God even more simply because of our attitudes.

** Let our pain trigger a praise as we position ourselves to let God work on us while we wait.

2. Preoccupy self with fulfilling God's purpose instead of escaping our problem(s).

• Don't be consumed with escaping, instead be filled with God's purpose.
• Don't just wait for the next stage, and stop wishing that time would fly by. Enjoy each moment.
• If we have to wait, we should get to work.
• If we have to wait, we should have a good time.

** God wants us to enjoy the journey.
- The road trip is part of the fun.

• Our destination is always a moving target; we don't get to the destination until we're in heaven.
• When we get to one destination, there's always going to be a new destination to strive for.
• Enjoy the journey with God!
• Sometimes God puts us in a waiting room because there's something He needs to teach us.
• God can't take us from point a to point b as fast as we want, because He has something to teach us before we reach the destination.
• Or maybe God has someone He needs to bring into our lives or bring onto the path so that we can minister to them and their situation (or so they can minister to us and our situation).
• Sometimes we may be headed in the wrong direction and headed to the wrong destination, so God needs to put us in a waiting room to re-route our path to a better destination and in a better direction.

3. Realize that our detours are often God's destinations.

• There really are no waiting rooms, because every destination God has a purpose for.
• Don't leave the current destination until you know God is done with you where you are.
• Where we are is where God is!!!
• Be more concerned with God's glory than our own release.
• Get to work.
• Work while we wait!
• Work every opportunity that God brings to us.

** Stop waiting for what God's going to do tomorrow and open your eyes to what God wants to do today!
- Open your eyes to what God wants you to do today, and stop worrying about tomorrow.

SNS - Toxic Thoughts

Soul Detox; Sermon 1
Pastor Craig Groeschel (guest speaker at Elevation church; home church: lifechurch.tv)

"Toxic Thoughts"

• What God is doing through us is way, way, way more then what we think!
• Live the gospel!
• We are not a body with a soul, we are a soul with a body.
• Because we are believing things that are not true, thinking on things that are not true, thinking on things that are not of God we are dramatically limited and are not doing all God wants us to do.
• Because we are Christian's (if you are saved) there is an ongoing war inside of us; there is a battle the spiritual nature that is connected to God and between the fleshly nature of our body which is fallen.
• This battle is deciding in the mind.
• Stop believing in our own abilities or inabilities, and start believing in the power of God.
• Stop believing the limitations of our own life rather then the power of God.
• Toxic (definition) - anything containing poisonous material capable of causing sickness or even death.
• Stop poisoning our own soul's with toxic thoughts.
• If we think negative thoughts we are going to become a negative person.
• If we think God thoughts, we are going to become like Christ.
• It's the thought that counts!

Two Ways to Remedy Toxic Thoughts:
1. Identify and reject them.

Proverbs 4:23 (CEV)
Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

• Our weapons have the power to unlock the prisoner who is believing the lies.
• Thoughts are the source of true life.
• Stop being a prisoner of our own toxic thoughts.
• The weapons we fight with have the power to demolish strongholds.
• Any thought that is not of God, we should grab it and make it our prisoner.
• Then we shape it by the Word of God, and make it obedient to Christ.

Four Types of Negative Thoughts:
A. Negative thoughts.
     - I.E.: I don't have what it takes, I can't do anything, my life stinks, it's just too much I can't do it all, no one appreciates me.
     - Consumed with negative thoughts.
B. Fearful thoughts.
     - I.E.: What if...
     - Irrational fear or worry.
C. Discontented thoughts.
     - I don't like {fill in the blank}, I'm not happy unless {fill in the blank}, I wish {fill in the blank}, if only I had {fill in the blank}.
     - Not being satisfied (with anything).
D. Critical thoughts.
     - I.E.: I'd never do that, I don't like this or that, etc.
     - Judgmental.

• We have got to guard our thoughts.
• We have to carefully guard our thoughts.
• If we want to find things to be negative about, fearful about, discontented about, or critical about we can do it very, very easily.
• It's a choice, we choose what we think about.
• We can find what we're looking for.
• The battle is fought in the mind, and it's a choice.
• We're going to find what we're looking for.
• If we want to look for something bad we can find it.
• If we want to look for something good we can find it.
• If we want to see God working, we can find it.
• It's all in the mind.
• Identify and reject toxic thoughts!

Jeremiah 12:3 (ESV)
But you, O Lord, know me; you see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.
- If there's anything inconsistent with You Father, drag them off to the slaughter house!

• Don't let the toxic thoughts live!

2. Replace toxic thoughts with truth.

• Identify the toxic thoughts, and then replace them with God's truth!

Philippians 4:7-8 (ESV)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts an dyour minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worth of praise, think about these things.

• When we first start to do battle with the toxic thoughts we are going to have to work at it a bit.
• Anytime we think a negative thought we are going have to realize it's bad, and start thinking about God thoughts.
• But then the switch is going happen and we are going to start thinking and living God's Word, and then the battle is gone.
• Because we are led by the Spirit of God.

Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
- "Be transformed by the renewing of our mind."

• We change by His renewing of the mind.
• As we feed on His Word, it renews our mind.
• We stop thinking the lies of the world and we start believing what He says about us, and we can do what He says needs to be done.
• Renewing is Anakainosis in Greek. Anakainosis means a renewal, a renovation, to make better than new.
• God wants to make us better than new, through the renewing of our minds.
• Identify toxic thoughts, reject them, and replace them with the truth.
• How can we be living in the stupid closet when God has already opened the door?!
• Open up the door and do what God has called us to do!
• ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!
• Open the door and walk through it!
• Stop letting the lies of the spiritual enemy limit the potential we have through God.
• Do not be conformed by the patterns of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind!
• We can handle everything with the power of Christ.
• We have been created and chosen, called by God!
• We are the light of the world and we are God's secret agents.
• Because Christ is in us, we will be a blessing.
• We have everything we need for life and godliness.
• We have everything we need to do everything God has called us to do and wants us to do.
• Don't you dare stay locked up in the closet when Jesus opened the door!!
• Identify the lie and replace it with the truth!!
• Think of things that are true, lovely, admirable, pure, excellent, and praisworthy!
• Open the door and do what God has called you to do!

SNS - Through the Conflict

I'm not going post all of this series like I did with the Mr. and Mrs. Betterhalf series, but I thought this sermon was especially good since we all fight with our boyfriends/girlfriends, fiance's, husbands/wives, etc. so I wanted to post it.

Visionary Love, Dream Sex; Sermon 5

"Through the Conflict"
Pastor Steven (Elevation Church)

Song of Solomon 5:2-6:4 (NIV)
{SHE} I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking: “Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.” I have taken off my robe—must I put it on again? I have washed my feet—must I soil them again? My beloved thrust his hand through the latch-opening; my heart began to pound for him. I arose to open for my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had left; he was gone. My heart sank at his departure. I looked for him but did not find him. I called him but he did not answer. The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen of the walls! Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you — if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love.
{FRIENDS} How is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you so charge us?
{SHE} My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand. His head is purest gold; his hair is wavy and black as a raven. His eyes are like doves by the water streams washed in milk,
mounted like jewels. His cheeks are like beds of spice yielding perfume. His lips are like lilies dripping with myrrh. His arms are rods of gold set with topaz. His body is like polished ivory
decorated with lapis lazuli. His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as its cedars. His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend, daughters of Jerusalem.
{FRIENDS} Where has your beloved gone, most beautiful of women? Which way did your beloved turn, that we may look for him with you?
{SHE} My beloved has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies. I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; he browses among the lilies.
{HE}You are as beautiful as Tirzah, my darling, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners. 

1. The success of a relationship/marriage doesn't depend on if we (you) fight, but how we (you) fight.

• It's a good idea to discuss parents fighting styles so that we (you) don't relive their mistakes. 
• Marriages that last aren't strong because of the absence of conflict, but because the two parties love each other enough and love God enough to process through the conflict together. 

2. Conflict is the result of unmet expectations and unfulfilled needs. 

• Don't lock out Randy (your soulmate) by refusing to meet his deepest needs, no matter what the need may be. 
• For men one of the deepest need is the need for sex. And the most important need is the need of respect!
• Respect Randy (respect your partner). 
• For women (me included) the highest need is the need to be loved and to feel secure. 
• Is it possible that I (you) have shut out your partner?
• Don't lock the door on love!
• I am (you are) the only source of legitamate fulfillment that Randy (your soulmate) will even have {especially in the area of sex}.
• And when I (you) shut and lock the door on that, they have no other course of action. 

3. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

• Good conflict techniques:
• Decide early on not to pick at each other and egg each other on. 
• Figure out how each person deals with emotions. 
• Back down when Randy (your soulmate) is upset and talk about it later when emotions are settled {it may be an hour or it may be a few days}
• Define the issue and determine if it's worth arguing about. 
• Watch my (your) tone. 
• Be respectful. 
• Don't interrupt. 
• Don't bring things up that have been dealt with in the past. 
• Stick to the subject and stick to the facts. 
• Apologize and admit when I'm (you're) wrong. 
• Don't argue when I'm (you're) boiling mad. 
• Watch my (your) timing. 
• It's not good to disagree or argue with a man when he's: tired, hungry, worried, ill, preoccupied, or pressured. 
• It is not my (your) job to be Randy's (your partners) conscience and tell him all about the horrible things he does.
• Leave it (the conflict, frustration, etc) with the Lord. If I'm (you're) frustrated take it to the Lord and He will work on Randy (your partner) on my (your) behalf.
• Don't require an apology in the middle of a conflict; there's a good chance it might not be as sincere.

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

• Bring it to God, and let God take care of it.
• It's not letting him get away with it, it's sticking God on him.

4. Leave room for God to change the heart.

• Always leave love on the lock.
• Only God can open certain doors.
• I (you) can't kick them down.
• Leave it to God to bring about change and justice.
• Appeal to a higher authority.
• I (you) make a committment and even if there is a lock on the door year after year after year leave love on the lock and stay faithful to God.
• Always love!
• What I'm (you're) fighting for is too important to walk away from.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV)
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Hebrews 12:3 (NIV)
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

• I (you) and my (your) partner don't really know each other until you go through hell together.
• Follow the example of Christ.
• When my (your) sins locked the door on Jesus, He still pursued me.
• For a marriage to last we are going to have to fix our eyes on Jesus and the spouse we've got because that's all we get!
• There can be no backdoor, because if there is a backdoor we are going to be tempted to use it one day.
• Shut my (your) mouth before I (you) even think about talking trash about Randy (your partner).
• Stand strong in Christ. He is my (your) example. 

5. Make it right before the sun goes down.
  - Even if that means staying up until 3am {or later}.

Ephesians 4:26 (NIV)
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,

• Stay up as late as we (you) have to, so we (you) don't go to bed angry with each other.
• Pray together before going to bed; no matter how tired, how short, etc.
• Good example is having Randy (your soulmate) pray outloud for me (you) before going to sleep.
• Praying for each other, forces us to reconcile with each other by the prophetic words of the prayer.
• If I (you) sought after Randy (your partner), I (you) will always find him {no matter how big the issue}.
• When the two become one, seperation is not an option.

Song of Solomon 6:3 (NIV)
I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine

Matthew 19:6 (NIV)
So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.

Romans 2:4 (NIV)
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

• Absolutely have to raise the standard for marital committment and we have got to reinstitute the symbolic meaning of the one flesh union between a man and a woman and we have got to leave love on the lock and we have got to search for our spouse like Christ searched for us.
• Marriage is a picture of the gospel that God came to me (you) when I (you) could not come to Him.
• Jesus Christ is the Lord of our marriage and He is able to see us through anything.

SNS - Mr. and Mrs. Betterhalf Series

Mr. and Mrs. Betterhalf Series; Sermon 5

"Unfailing Love"
Pastor Craig Groeschel (guest speaker at Elevation Church)

• Society hasn't trained us for marriage, society has trained us for divorce.
• We will face bumps in the road.
• When there is good reason for divorce, often times God has something different.

Hosea 1:2-3 (NIV)
When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

• The number one marriage misconception is, "what I'm missing is better than what I have."

Hosea 2:5 (NIV)
Their mother has been unfaithful and has conceived them in disgrace. She said, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me my food and my water, my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’ 

• Don't trade the 80 for the 20; it's the most foolish thing a person can do.
• In a decent marriage a person is going to meet about 80% of their spouses needs and expectations.
• No one will ever be able to meet 100%
• Expecting someone to meet 100% of my (your) needs and expectations is setting them up for failure. Absolutely no one can do it.
• Don't believe the lie that what I'm (you're) missing is better then what I (you) have.
• Whenever the grass looks greener somewhere else, it's time to water your own yard.
• If it looks better somewhere else it's only because you can't smell the poop in the yard.
• What I'm (you're) missing is not better than what I (you) have if I (you) invest in what I (you) have.
• When God gets hurt He gets mean, jealous, and angry. He throws a fit. And He has a right to be because He is God and wants all of our hearts.

God's responses to spiritual adultery, and things we should learn from:
1. Righteous anger.

Hosea 2:8-10 (NIV)
She has not acknowledged that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine and oil, who lavished on her the silver and gold — which they used for Baal. “Therefore I will take away my grain when it ripens, and my new wine when it is ready. I will take back my wool and my linen, intended to cover her naked body. So now I will expose her lewdness before the eyes of her lovers; no one will take her out of my hands.

• God says, you want to do life/marriage without Him...do it and see how it works out. It'll fail tremendously.
• Satan is not going to steal my future marriage!!!
• Even if there is grounds for divorce, God says not to give up that easily.
• I (you) have to fight for it!!

2. Unfailing love.

Hosea 2:14-15 (NIV)
“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.  \
- God will make the valley of achor (trouble) into a door of hope.

Two ways to have a great marriage:

1. Do everything right. [which is impossible]
2. Walk through the valley of achor (trouble) together until you find the door of hope.

• We don't always do everything right; we sin and we mess up. So, we "walk through the valley of trouble (whatever trouble it may be) together and on the other side there is a valley of hope.
• The best marriages work through the valley of {inset hurt, trouble, etc. here} together with God leading the way, and they always come to the door of hope.
• If I (you) continue to pursue God {especially when Randy and I pursue God together} we will always walk through the valley to the door of hope.
• There is always hope with God!!

Forgive and love as you have been forgiven and loved.

Hosea 3:1 (NIV)
The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes. ”

• Love Randy (your partner) as the Lord loves.
• Love and forgive the same way Jesus has loved and forgiven me (you).
• There are no guarantees, and even through we can't control the outcome God is very very clear on what we should do, and that is that we should love and forgive the way we have been loved and forgiven.
• Forgiving doesn't mean that I (you) become a doormat and don't make some changes; it does mean that no matter what Randy (your soulmate) does I (you) will choose to do what God does and love and forgive even if there are no guarantees.
• When the world says give up, God may say it's not time to give up yet.
• Always walk through the valley, because there will always be a door of hope on the other side.

SNS - Mr. and Mrs. Betterhalf Series

Mr. and Mrs. Betterhalf Series; Sermon 4

"Wrong Well"
Pastor Steven (Elevation Church)

John 4:1-26 (NIV)
Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John — although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”  “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”  “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
John 4:39 (NIV)
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

• It doesn't matter what people say or think, just stay focused on what God is telling me (you) to do.
• Rick Warren: "When you're small people ignore you, when you're growing they criticize you, and when you're big they resent you."
• Jesus chose to ignore all the other things, and go help the hurting and heal the hurting.
• Jesus was compelled to go.
• Jesus came for those who feel unclean.
• I (you) have to expose my (your) sin in order for Jesus to heal my (your) sin.

Different wells.
1. Well, I'm not worthy.

• Jesus doesn't tell us that the solution is to keep a standard, the problem is that we haven't received the gift.
• I (you) don't have holiness and God doesn't need my (your) holiness - that's why He offers to give it as a gift.
• Holiness is not what God wants from me (you), it's what He wants for me (you).
• God's commands are not demands. God doesn't command me (you) to live life His way, and to deprive me (you) of what is good. He commands me (you) to live a certain way so that He can give me (you) something that is so much better.
• His way is so much better.
• His commands are not burdens, His commands are for my (your) good and all about His grace.
• It's not about what He wants from me (you), it's about what He wants for me (you).
• When God calls me (you) to make a change in my (your) life, He will tell me to do it (not always all at once, but day by day)
• God doesn't speak to me (you) because He wants something from me (you), He doesn't speak to me (you) to keep something from me (you). He gives me (you) an instruction because there's a blessing that He wants to give me (you) and it can only be found through obedience.
• If I (you) knew who God was I (you) wouldn't give up.
• If I (you) knew who God was I (you) wouldn't take matters into my (your) own hands rather I (you) would live under His protection.
• If I (you) knew He was good, I (you) wouldn't go do things my way, because His way is the best way.
• It's not what He needs from me (you), it's that He wants something good for me (you).
• Don't tell God how difficult or impossible my (your) situation is; {tell my (your) situation how big my (your) God is}

2. Well, it's too hard.
   - Well it's too hard, it's too difficult, there's too much against me, I've lost too much.

• It it's too hard to do what God has called me (you), it's time for me (you) to go to another source.
• The well/source of true satisfaction is something God wants to do inside of me (you).
• My (your) biggest problem in thinking everything will be all right is where my (your) source of satisfaction comes from.
• I (you) need to go to a different well, if my (your) source of satisfaction isn't in God.
• I (you) don't need {fill in the blank} because I (you) have a love/joy that runs deeper then physicality.
• The key to filling fulfilled is not wanting a person (or thing) to act the way I (you) want them to act, but the spring of living water inside of me (you) saying "I don't need a {fill in the blank}, I walk with Jesus."
• I (you) have everything I (you) need; I (you) have the Spirit of God and He's in me (you) and with me (you).
• Before God can give me (you) what I (you) need, He has to expose my (your) sin.
• Jesus knows the condition of my (your) heart, but He still doesn't push me (you) away.
• The best thing Jesus can do is to not pretend my (your) sin isn't there and let me (you) live in it, but call me (you) out on it.
• In order to receive Him, and receive His well I (you) have to let go of all the other things.
• I (you) can't find fulfillment in other places, persons, or things.
• I (you) have to get away from the wrong well.

3. Well, not now.

• The time is now!

John 4:39 (NIV)
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

• Everything I've (you've) ever done (up to salvation) has been wrong, but then God uses all the pain I've (you've) been through as a platform to show people how good He is.
• God wants to clean me (you) up, so He can show (you) off.
• Jesus wants to clean me (you), change me (you), and rearrange me (you) not because He doesn't love me (you), not because He's ashamed of me (you), but because He made me (you) and He wants to show the world what He can do through me (you).
• God wants me (you) to drink His water.
• We are all thirsty and we are all lost and we all need to drink from His water.
• God loves and uses broken people for His causes and for His glory.
• God raises me (you) up and out of the pit so that I (you) can reach down and help someone else up and out too with His power working through me (you).
• Jesus gave His life so that my (your) life could be rescued from empty wells and so that I (you) can drink freely from His grace and never thirst again.

SNS - Mr. and Mrs. Betterhalf Series

Mr. and Mrs. Betterhalf Series; Sermon 3
"An Arranged Marriage"
Pastor Steven (Elevation Church)

Genesis 24:1-67 (NIV)
Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way. He said to the senior servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh. I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac. ” The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from? ” “Make sure that you do not take my son back there,” Abraham said. “The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’ —he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there. If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there. So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter. Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water. Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’ —let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.” “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful. When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night? ” She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor. ” And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.” Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.” The young woman ran and told her mother’s household about these things. Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. “Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,” he said. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.” So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. Then food was set before him, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I have to say.” “Then tell us,” Laban said. So he said, “I am Abraham’s servant. The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys. My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. And my master made me swear an oath, and said, ‘You must not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live, but go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.’ “Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’ “He replied, ‘The Lord, before whom I have walked faithfully, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father’s family. You will be released from my oath if, when you go to my clan, they refuse to give her to you—then you will be released from my oath.’ “When I came to the spring today, I said, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. See, I am standing beside this spring. If a young woman comes out to draw water and I say to her, “Please let me drink a little water from your jar,” and if she says to me, “Drink, and I’ll draw water for your camels too,” let her be the one the Lord has chosen for my master’s son.’ “Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ “She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too.’ So I drank, and she watered the camels also. “I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’
“She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milkah bore to him.’ “Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms, and I bowed down and worshiped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son. Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so I may know which way to turn.” Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed. ” When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.” But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so; then you may go.” But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master.” Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.” So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”
“I will go,” she said. So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you increase to thousands upon thousands; may your offspring possess the cities of their enemies.” Then Rebekah and her attendants got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

• There is no such thing as a perfect relationship or being a perfect partner, but there is such a thing as having a blessed relationship and being a blessing to my (your) partner.
• I (you) can be blessed.
• Don't freak out if we're (you're) not on schedule as the culture says it should happen.
• God arranges marraiges and relationships together.
• God is bigger then me (you) marrying the wrong one, and throwing off generations of people marrying the wrong person.
• My (your) security is not found in another person, my (your) security is gound in God's promise.
• The four most important words in my (your) life are: "God has promised me (you)."
• No other dysfunctional person can make me (you) whole.
• Don't leave the place of God's perfect will for my (your) life.
• Even when it gets hard, when I (you) don't feel love, I (you) don't feel tingly don't leave my (your) marriage or my (your) covanent and don't step aside from our (your) committment.
• Trusting God for our (your) future is the hardest thing to do, but it's the only way to go.
• I (you) may as well trust God, because I (you) can't be Him.
• I (you) don't fall in love, I (you) set out with intention to love.
• The difficulties aren't even worth mentioning to the promise God fulfills.
• The payoff if I (you) stick to it and obey God will be so worth it, it won't even be worth putting a footnote about the difficulties in comparison to how good the Lord is.
• The difficulties aren't even worth mentioning.
• My (your) story is part of a bigger story that God is writing.
• My (your) subplot will work to His predetermined end, because He is the master author, and only He knows the end from the beginning.
• Pray and position
• You should be looking for someone who has a servanent's heart, has humility, who loves the Lord, and is committed to Him.
• Don't pray to God looking for a partner and wanting him to be sexy that's not God's specialty.
• Appearance is important, but it's not the first thing, it's not the primary thing, it's not the most important thing.
• Just because I (you) haven't seen the solution, doesn't mean God hasn't sent the answer.
• If I've (you've) trusted it to Him, He's working even if it's a situation I (you) can't see.
• Even if I (you) can't see God working in my (your) situation, trust that God is anyway.
• Pray, position, and now God I trust in You!
• God may not be answering my (your) prayer right now, but He's answering it through preparation.
• You can find the right one and make them the wrong one because you're not ready yet.
• Trust God in the timing of things.

1 John 1:9 (NIV)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- The blood of Jesus can cover my (your) past. It's gone, it's forgotten, it's forgiven.

• It's a ppure spirit and trust in God that is really attractive especially to the kind of people you really want to attract.
• Do I (you) want to be a person who just barely gets by with the things of God, who just barely acknowledges Jesus as their Lord and Savior or do I (you) want to be someone who is exceptionally hungry for God?
• Don't put a standard on somebody else I (you) wouldn't want on me (you).
• Don't put a standard on somebody else God wouldn't put on me (you).
• When it comes to the things of God, do not settle.
• Shut up and observe. 
• "Before marriage keep both eyes open, and after marriage keep both eyes closed." - Benjamin Franklin
• Don't see all the flaws after marriage, when I (you) think they're perfect before when I (you) have a controlled environment and never see the real them.
• Don't jump the gun, trust God.
• Randy and I want God to be the center of the relationship from the beginning.
• Don't get in any relationships where God is apart, make sure He's in the spotlight and not a sideshow.
• If there's anything I (you should) want more then anything else, it's a God story.
• I don't (you shouldn't) want a Hollywood story, because a hollywood story ends at the altar with expensive flowers.
• Bless my (your) future children.
• Satan can't curse that which is blessed by God.
• God's promises will always come true.
• A story is part of a much bigger story.
• My (your) story is part of a much bigger story God is writing for my (your) life and the world...the gospel story.
• God is going to use all of this one day.
• God is using my (your) story to write a much bigger story, in which He is the hero and receives all the glory.
• True security, happiness, joy, peace, and love isn't found in finding the right person it's in being in the right person.
• If I (you) be the person God has called, He will do everything I (you) need in life.