Sorry this is so late - I hadn't realized that I didn't post last week's notes.

Text: Various

Introduction: Last week I talked about our how our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19-20 - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body).

Proposition or Thesis: If we believe that, then we should live our life so as not to defile the temple.

Interrogative: What does that mean? Today we'll look at that...

Transition: Paul gives us many examples of what we need to do in our life.

I. Read 1 Thessalonians 4

1. Verses 1-2 - Increase what you are already doing.
2. Verse 3a - Be sanctified to God.
3. Verses 3b-6a - Lead a clean life that is above reproach.
4. Verse 7 - live a holy life (holy = sanctified. Same Greek word).
5. Verse 10 - Love one another, more and more.
6. Verse 11a - Don't draw attention to yourself - allow God to do that for you.
7. Verse 11b - Pull your own weight.
8. Verse 12 - Earn respect.

Transition: Do not only seek to be approved by man, but more so be approved by God

II. Read 2 Timothy 2 15-26

1. Verse 15 - God should see us as capable of handling what has been entrusted to us (including the Gospel - "word of truth"). 
2. Verse 16 - Turn away from discussions that are ungodly. (Greek root - periistemi {per-ee-is'-tay-mee} means to Shun - to TURN AWAY). What other word have we been looking at (Repent) lately?
3. Verses 20-21 - Determine your purpose. Once you are cleansed from the common use, you must only be useful for noble purposes. You don't use one for both…
4. Verse 22a - Grow up! I know this is a harsh way to say it, but - "Flee the evil desires of youth…"
5. Verse 22b - Seek out not only the things of God, but those who do! Adjust who you hang out with.
6. Verses 23-26 - Don't argue over foolish things and instruct gently

Transition: Don't live a life of sin any longer.

III. There are many other examples where we are told to avoid a sinful life

1. Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
2. Ephesians 4:1 - As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
3. Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
4. Galatians 5:16-21 - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1. Galatians 5:22-26 - Should be familiar to everyone here:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other

1. Colossians 1:9-14 - For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption,[e] the forgiveness of sins.
2. 1 Corinthians 6:12 - "Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.

Conclusion: Our life must be a reflection of who we claim to be. It isn't easy, but it is what we are commanded to do.

1. If you claim you are a Christian - you have the responsibility to change your life.
2. 2 Timothy 3:12 - In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
3. There's much more to being a Christian than showing up for church. Sitting in church will no more make you a Christian than sitting in a hen house makes you a chicken.

Next week - How to turn from sin...

Benediction:

“The LORD bless you,
and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine on you,
and be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance on you,
and give you peace.”

Text: Exodus 33-40, 1 Kings 6-8, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

P R A Y E R

Introduction: God is (and has always been) with us!

Proposition or Thesis: God's spirit has interacted with Mankind since he created us

Interrogative: God desires to be with us and throughout history, has instructed us on how to meet with Him.

Transition: Moses had portable Tabernacles

I. Exodus 33:7-11 - Moses pitches the "Tent of the Meeting"

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

1. Simple
2. Functional
3. Blessed (God's presence)

Transition: It later became what is more well known as "the Tabernacle"

II. Exodus 36 - The Tabernacle is built

1. Detailed
2. Specific
   1. Exodus 37- The Ark
   2. Exodus 38 - The Altar
   3. Exodus 39 - The Priestly Garments

Transition: Portable was good - for a season, but Solomon wanted a permanent temple for the Lord

III. Solomon built the Temple of the Lord

1.  1 Kings 6 - Solomon builds the temple
   1. Ornate
   2. Beautiful
   3. Time consuming
   4. Detailed
   5. Seven years to construct

1. 1 Kings 7 - Temple furnishings
   1. Specific
   2. Detailed
   3. Beautiful

1. 1 Kings 8 - Temple dedication / filling with God's spirit
   1. (Ark brought in)
   2. Filled with the Spirit of God
   3. Consecrated to God 

Transition: A physical temple was good - but God desires a closeness with Man that cannot be met in external structures.

IV. God sent His Holy Spirit to indwell with us

1. Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit was coming
   1. Acts 1:3-5 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

1. We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit
   1. I Corinthians 6:19-20 - Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body

Transition: With God's indwelling and presence comes a promise

V. Solomon was promised God's favor - conditionally

1. 2 Chronicles 7: 11-16 - God responds to Solomon with a promise
   1. When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, the LORD appeared to him at night and said:

"I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

Transition: With God's promise, a warning is also given

VI. Solomon was warned as well as promised.

1. 2 Chronicles 7:19-22 - God's warning

But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?' People will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.' "

Conclusion: A physical temple was pleasing to the Lord - but God desired a closeness with Man that could only be achieved by indwelling with us.

1. We are promised that not only will God indwell with us by his Holy Spirit, but He will hear our prayers if we cry out to him.
2. We are also warned that we will be made "an object of ridicule among all peoples" by the calamities that befall us if we fail to walk in His ways.

Next week - Living a life pleasing to God…

Benediction:

“The LORD bless you,

and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine on you,

and be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance on you,

and give you peace.”

Here are my notes from last Sunday's message.  We are also in the process of starting to record the messages in CD format.  Once we can get that working correctly I will look into offering them as an option for streaming to your PC!

Blessings in Christ,

Tom...

Text: Galatians 5:22:23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Introduction: Everyone needs fruit in their diet.

Proposition or Thesis: Fruit provides a lot of good nutritional value for the body

Interrogative: But what about our Spiritual life?

Transition: Our spiritual life needs to have fruit in it as much as our physical bodies!

I. Our fruit should be sweet

1. Plentiful - not a sparsely fruited tree
2. Seen from a distance - and better up close
3. "Smellable" - Story from Eastern Washington 

Transition: Our fruit should be shared with others

II. Fruit that stays on the tree goes bad

1. Fruit is not grown for it's looks - it's grown to be shared
2. Over ripened fruit isn't good to eat
3. Sometimes there is a bit of pain in giving up fruit

Transition: Even though we need to give it away, we need to keep some back for ourselves

III. A farmer doesn't pick the field bare

1. Some of the fruit remains to keep the tree healthy
2. Some of what remains stays to fertilize the ground and make next year's crop better
3. Some is left behind for others - Leviticus 19:9-10 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.'

Conclusion: What is your fruit?

1. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
2. Are you sharing it with others?
3. Are you sharing too much?
4. Are you holding it all for yourself?

Invitation:

Benediction:

“The LORD bless you, and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.”

Here are last week's sermon notes.  I hope you are blessed!

Text: Isaiah 6:8

Introduction: Forgiveness of Sin is critical to your ability to serve God

Proposition or Thesis: While Sin remains in our life, it prevents of from fully serving God

Interrogative: Even Isaiah - a great prophet of the old testament - realized he had sin in his life.

Transition: While sin remains un-confessed, it hinders us. Only when forgiven can we be used.

I. But once confessed, God is faithful to forgive us our sins...

1. While sin is un-confessed, it remains.
2. Once confessed, we can be - and will be - forgiven. 1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Transition: Not only must we confess (repent - remember last week?)

II. We must accept the forgiveness that the Lord has offered

1. Isaiah did not turn away from the seraph
2. Many of us reject God's forgiveness
3. Even though God chooses to forget our sins (Hebrews 8:12 - where the author is discussing the "New Covenant" quotes from Jeremiah - For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more)
4.  If God has chosen to forget our sins, why do we continue to remember them?

Transition: Asking for and receiving forgiveness is only part of the equation

II. Once forgiven, we must also be willing

1. Even as we are able and prepared, we must still be willing. "Here am I, send me".
2. God will not force us to do what He wants us to do.

Conclusion: God has a plan for each one of us…no one is created by accident.

1.  Sin keeps us from our relationship with God
2. Unrepentant sin keeps us from being able to be used
3.  Even after we are able, we must be willing

Invitation:

Benediction:

"The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."