Below is the video and the notes are below that.

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Cor 10:13

 God takes away your excuse to sin and removes the guilt of sin.

 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. James 1:13

 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.  2 Cor 1:8

 1)     At times a Christian’s life will be more than you can handle.

2)     God does not put pain on us.  He does allow us to go pain.

• Self imposed bring consequences
• We live in an imperfect evil world and trials strengthen our faith.
• God will discipline as a loving Father.

 As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? ⁸ If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.  Heb 12:7-8

 3)     Bad theology causes emotional pain and feeling we don’t  measure up in our faith   

• Misjudge others
• Get down on ourselves

 ⁹ In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰ And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. ¹¹ And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.  2 Cor 1:9-11

 4)     Unbearable pain teaches reliance on God and how much we need each other and the prayers of others.

 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.  Gal 6:2

 5)     God will actually use your weakness to make you stronger in your faith and your ministry.

 ⁷ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

 ⁸ Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. ⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Cor 12:7-10

Royal Farris of Life Connection Church in Euless, TX
http://www.lifeconnectionchurch.org

Guess what?  God wants all of us to do something big for him…. but what do we have to do to get there?

This is two minutes of a teaching I did this last Sunday at Life Connection Church in Euless, TX on the topic.

This is two minutes of Sunday Morning at Life Connection Church in Euless, TX

T   F    If God wants you to do something He will make it easy.

 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.   James 1:3

 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.  2 Cor 8:2

 A life of faith will always be a life of testing

 …whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.    James 1:2 NLT

 Jesus soon saw a great crowd of people climbing the hill, looking for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Philip, where can we buy bread to feed all these people?”  6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.  John 6:5-6

How to Fail the Faith Test

 1)     Avoid situations that test your faith.

 …disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. 36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy themselves some food.” Mark 6:35-36

2)     Decide to leave God out of it.

 Jesus said, “You feed them”.  “With what?” they asked. “It would take a small fortune to buy food for all this crowd!” Mark 6:37

We often think the answer is what we can do.                                 Jesus says its faith.

 3)    Bring it to Jesus and then take it back.

 Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. 9 “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”  John 6:8-9

“Impossible!” they exclaimed. “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” Matt 14:17

Choose to Put It In the Hands of Jesus

 ¹⁴ For there were about 5,000 men there.  Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ So the people all sat down. ¹⁶ Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. ¹⁷ They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!  Luke  14:17

 1)     Give it all to Jesus and trust Him till finished.

 2)    Jesus wants to make a Jesus impact to give glory to God.

 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.  John 15:8

3)     When people see Jesus, people are inspired.

 When the people saw himdo this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”John 6:14

People think  we can change the world if we just elect the right officials.  If you want to change the world it has to start with you.

This is two minutes of my teaching I called, “How to Become the Best American”.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

We also know:

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Rom 10:10

We know the gift is free.  We are connected to God if we accept through grace the gift….

So .. Why do Christians have such a hard time feeling close to God?  Why do we feel close sometimes and like God isn’t even there at others?….. 

There is a hard part… A commitment that God asks for.  Its worship.  And worship is not just going to church or participating in religious activity….  Its sacrifice.  God says that real sacrifice is worship through your lifestyle.

I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Rom 12:1

Here is the video of the teaching I did Sunday June 26 on this topic.

This is my first teaching “back on Sunday Morning”..  Fathers Day.. June 19, 2011

Teaching is called, “Your Spiritual Family Matters”  Life Connection Church – Royal Farris

www.lifeconnectionchurch.org

We were all PUSHing.  Praying Until Something happens.

Founded by Joseph Smith (25) in 1830.

 1820: Father and Son appeared to Smith and told him all churches and their beliefs were wrong and Smith needed to start a new one.

1823:  The angel Moroni appeared and told Smith the ancient golden plates were buried near his home.  Three years later,Moroni told him where they were.

In 1830 published as The Book of Mormon

 Mormon Scriptures 

1. Book of Mormon
2. Doctrines and Covenants
3. Pearl of Great Price
4. The “Inspired” Version of the Bible

 No decisive archaeological evidence for any ancient civilizations described in BOM.

  The Bible

•  40 different Holy Spirit inspired authors over 1600 years.

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophets themselves  21 or because they wanted to prophesy. It was the Holy Spirit who moved the prophets to speak from God.  2 Peter 1:20-21NLT 

• Archaeologists have uncovered more copies of ancient Bible manuscripts than any other document of antiquity.
• Much corroborating evidence.

 Mormon God

• Exalted man from another planet
• Many Gods
• Always evolving
• Physical body
• God is not eternal

 Biblical God

• God is God and one God.  (Hos 11:9, Isai. 45:5)
• God is Spirit (John 4;24, Luke 24;39)
• God is eternal (Isai 40:28)
• God does not change. (Mal. 3:6)

 Mormon Jesus

• Created being and brother of Lucifer
• Had to earn his own salvation
• A polygamist
• Jesus saved Adam.  We have to earn our salvation.

 Biblical Jesus

• Jesus and Father are one (John 10:30)
• Born of a virgin through Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18-20)
• Jesus did not need to be saved (1 John 5:20)
• No evidence of Jesus married even once.
• No other way to be saved but through Jesus

 Resources:  World Religions and Cults 101 – Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz

Jesus Among other Gods – Ravi Zacharias;  http://www.atstracts.org

“For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. 20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. ”  Rom 1:19-20

Everyone is looking for their own God reality.  (Truth)

Who-what-when-where-how-purpose

 Most people belief there is truth but no absolute truth.

• Each person has his own truth.
• Cults are built on some truth and new revelations.
• There is truth in everything, but not everything is true.
• Many ways to God, all the same God.

 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings.  32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”   John 8:31-32 NLT

 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.  7 If you had known who I am, then you would have known who my Father is. From now on you know him and have seen him!” John 14:6-7 NLT

 True Christianity is Biblical Christianity.

 if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. 1 Cor 15:17 NLT

 Jehovah’s Witness – founded 1874 – Charles Russell

Russell did not like what the Bible taught about Hell and the Trinity so he started his own theology. 

•  Russell predicted Christ’s return in 1914, then 1915 and he died in 1916.
• Judge Rutherford– New Date 1925 (Later 1978)

 Truth according to JW: Bible filtered through the Watchtower  organization.  Changes with leadership changes.

 True Bible: God’s Word to us.  Supreme source of truth inspired by God without mixture of error.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Tim 3:16 NLT

 JW Jesus:  Jesus is not God.  Jesus was human created and inhabited by Angel Michael.  Jesus returned secretly to the organization in 1914.

True Jesus:  Eternal Son of God.  He ascended into Heaven and now reigns at the right hand of the Father.  He dwells in all Christ-followers.

In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.  John 1:1

 So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.  John 1:14 NLT

 JW Salvation:  Jesus did not pay for our sins but brought back the possibility of living a perfect life.  144,000 JW will be rewarded with Heaven.  The rest will live on earth.  JW must earn God’s favor by following the JW rules in Watchtower Magazine.

True Salvation:  Free gift of God through Jesus Christ.  Can not earn your way.  Jesus paid for our sins.  We are forgiven when we accept the gift and the Lordship of Jesus.  Heaven is for all who believe.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. John 3:16-17 NLT

 Resources:  World Religions and Cults 101 – Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz

Jesus Among other Gods – Ravi Zacharias;  http://www.atstracts.org

Islam

World Religions

 There is truth in everything, but not everything is true.

 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings.  32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”   John 8:31-32 NLT

 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son John 3:16

 We know what real love is because Christ gave up his life for us.   1 John 3:16 NLT

 God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.  1 John 4:16

Islam Religion

 Founder:  Muhammad ibn Abdallah born AD 570                 

                  Born inMecca (Saudi Arabia)

 AD 610 Muhammad received mystical visions

 Quran – Revelations recorded by others   114 Chapters (surahs) 4/5 size of NT

 Muslim: submits and lives pillars of faith

Mumin:  intellectual acceptance of Islamic faith

 Formed religious government with economic, political, social control.

 Three Main Revelations

 1)  No God but Allah (Do not follow Muhammad)

2)    Man is Allah’s slave.

3)    There will be judgment based on deeds.

  Five Pillars of Islam Faith

1)    Shahada – (Creed of Affirmation)

“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.”

2)    Prayer – 5 times a day facingMecca

3)    Almsgiving – 2.5% to poor

4)    Fast – Ramadan – sun up to sun down

5)    Pilgrimage – once in lifetime toMecca

 If a Muslim dies in a Holy War (Jihad) there is instant salvation even if did not measure up in life.

 Different God than Christian God

 Allah:“99 beautiful names” for Allah – absence of love

 Truth:  God is love.

 Allah:  Allah is an unknowable being

 Truth:  God wants a relationship

 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world.  1 John 4:17 NLT

 And here is how to measure it–the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.  14 You are my friends if you obey me.  15 I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.  16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you.

John 15:13-16 NLT

 Allah:  Requires total obedience and then weighs your good deeds against your bad.

 Truth:  Jesus’ grace and sacrifice is sufficient.

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 NIV

 Resources:  World Religions and Cults 101 – Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz

Jesus Among other Gods – Ravi Zacharias;  http://www.atstracts.org

This is a teaching by Royal Farris at Life Connection Church in North Richland Hills, TX on Feb 26, 2011.