April 6, 2008

Scott & Clare Loughrige Sr. Pastors

 

Open the Door to the Positive

(Slam the Door on the Negative)

 

Worship through Song

 

Baptism

(2nd service only)

 

Video

Give Thanks

 

Church Family News

 

Offering

Say

John Mayer

 

Video

Negative Words

 

Message

Scott & Clare Loughrige

 

Video

Virtual Family

 

 

Communion

 

 

Any musical selections and/or media elements used in our services are for illustrative purposes only and are not an endorsement of any artist, musical group, and film or television program.

 

 

 

Open the Door to the Positive

(Slam the Door on the Negative)

 

Do you feel God is treating you well?  Do you feel He has blessed you and given you an unlimited life of abundance just waiting for you to discover?  Your attitude will follow your altitude.  Your outlook will bring your outcome or as Jesus said it, "Let it be done to you according to your faith."

 

Where do we begin. . .

 

Positive or Negative _______________________________ (a)

 

Luke 6:43 TNIV

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.

 

 

 

 

Positive or Negative _______________________________ (b)

 

James 3:2-12 TNIV

   2 We all stumble in many ways. Those who are never at fault in what they say are perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

   3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

   7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by human beings, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

   9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

 

 

 

Positive or Negative _______________________________ (c)

 

Numbers 13:27-28, 30-33, 14:2-4, 6-9 NIV

   27 They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.

   

30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

   31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

 

   14:2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."

 

   6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."

 

 

3 DOORS

Door #1 ____________________________________ (d)

Door #2 ____________________________________ (e)

Door #3 ____________________________________ (f)

 

John 10:9-10 TNIV

   9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

 

Action Steps:

IDENTIFY—faith-defeating and self-defeating thoughts

LOSE--negative words of doubt and defeat

CHOOSE--words of life, faith, hope and gratefulness

 

 

 

Conversations and Questions to Consider

1.  What would you say is the main nourisher of your thought life? (Bible, News, TV, Problems, Music, Money Issues, Work, _______?)

2.  Where have you seen that your words and actions have been a direct result of your thought life?

3.  If the thoughts you consistently dwell on directly affect the way you will live, what are some things that would be important to dwell on?  Have you made this an intentional part of your schedule?

4.  Recall a time you said something you regretted afterward.  Why was it so hard to control your tongue?

5.  What are some ways that have helped you tame your tongue?

 

Resources:

Today’s message is available in the bookstore on CD or DVD.

Streaming audio and videos of today’s message are also available on our website:  ccmonline.org.

 

Read: 

Get a Life by Brian Houston

 

Answers:

a. Thoughts   b. Words   c. Actions   d. Egypt   e.  Desert  

f. Abundant Life

 

©2008 Crossroads Church & Ministries