Partaking of the Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:1-11)
I. This study should accomplish the following:
1. Learn how to know Jesus more intimately.
2. Learn what it means to partake of the divine nature and how to do it.
3. Learn how to gain the assurance of eternal life.
II. The importance of the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ.
1. Grace and peace are multiplied unto us through the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2Pe 1:2).
A. Knowing God brings us peace (Job 22:21).
B. The knowledge of God comes through diligently studying the word of God (Pro 2:1-6).
Adultery and Church Membership
I. The covenant of marriage.
1. Marriage is a covenant (Mal 2:14).
2. Covenant - 1. A mutual agreement between two or more persons to do or refrain from doing certain acts; a compact, contract, bargain; sometimes, the undertaking, pledge, or promise of one of the parties.
3. The covenant of marriage is different from any other covenant that men can establish.
a. It is life-long (Rom 7:2).
b. It is made between husband and wife, but it is enforced by God and His law (Rom 7:2; Mat 19:4-6).
c. The husband and wife become "one flesh" (Mar 10:8).
To learn more about dealing with life's difficulties, click here: Dealing With Problems
Dealing With Problems in the Church
I. Problems will come.
1. Offences will come, but don't be the person by whom they come (Mat 18:7).
2. Heresies must come to manifest they who are approved (1Co 11:19).
3. Pastors will offend church members (Jam 3:1-2).
4. Trouble is common to all men (Job 14:1).
5. It is a given that problems will come, but what is important is how we deal with them.
To learn more about dealing with life's difficulties, click here: Dealing With Problems
VII. The Biblical way to deal with an offence which is private in nature between two brethren and which is not an excludable offence is to follow Jesus' instruction in Mat 18:15-17. This could also apply to a church member who was offended by the pastor.
Divide and Conquer (Act 23:6-10)
I. This study should teach us:
1. to be wise unto the way this world works, but not to be of it.
2. how to use strategy when dealing with enemies.
3. how to use our opponents weakness against them.
4. how to use the mechanisms of this world to save us from the wicked intentions of the men of this world.
II. As Christians we should be wise unto that which is good, but simple concerning evil (Rom 16:19).
1. This doesn't mean that we should be ignorant of how the world works and should not use wisdom and strategy to get through this world.
VI. Strategy #3: Divide and conquer; using your enemies' weakness against them.
1. Paul was brought before the council and once again tried to reason with them (Act 23:1).
A. He declared to them that he had lived in good conscience all his life.
a. Paul stated this fact more than once in his defense and in his letter to Timothy (Act 24:16; 2Ti 1:3).
b. Paul also impressed upon Timothy, the young preacher whom he had trained and ordained, the importance of maintaining a good conscience (1Ti 1:5,19).
When Do We Resist Evil and Defend Ourselves?
I. When should we not resist evil?
1. It is acceptable with God when we suffer for doing well (1Pe 2:20).
2. We are called to suffer for righteousness as Christ did, whose example we are to follow (1Pe 2:21).
3. Jesus did not resist the government when they came to arrest Him (Joh 18:1-9).
A. They came for him with weapons (Joh 18:3).
B. Jesus had easy access to a weapon with which to defend Himself (Luk 22:38; Joh 18:10).
C. Jesus could have destroyed them (Mat 26:53).
To learn more about dealing with life's difficulties, click here: Dealing With Problems
I. The compassion of God
1. Sometimes Christians focus on the judgment and severity of God and forget about His compassion.
2. God is full of compassion (Psa 86:15; Psa 145:8).
Pastor Wagner shows from the scripture how to deal with adversity, affliction, and persecution the way that Jesus did by loving our enemies, blessing them that curse us, praying for them that despitefully use us, and not rendering evil for evil. When we are persecuted the Lord stands with us and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able.
To learn more about dealing with life's difficulties, click here: Dealing With Problems
A master copy of the indented outline in both MS Word and PDF formats can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
I. Definitions
1. Fasting - 1. The action of the vb. fast; abstinence from food; an instance of this.
2. Fast v. - 1. a. intr. To abstain from food, or to restrict oneself to a meagre diet, either as a religious observance or as a ceremonial expression of grief.
II. The purpose of fasting
1. Fasting is a sign of humility (Psa 35:13).
2. Fasting is a means of chastening one's soul (Psa 69:10-11).
A master copy of the indented outline in both MS Word and PDF formats and part 2 of the series can be found here: Money Management.
Money Management
I. Before we learn how to manage money, let's first learn what money is.
A master copy of the indented outline in both MS Word and PDF formats and part 1 of the series can be found here: Money Management.
VII. It is indicative of a lack of spirituality or godliness if a Christian is poor because of laziness, wastefulness, foolishness, or imprudence.
1. If you are lazy, you will likely be poor (Pro 6:9-11; Pro 10:4; Pro 13:4; Pro 19:15; Pro 20:4; Pro 20:13; Pro 21:25; Pro 23:21).
Image from: gossipaunty.com
A master copy of the indented outline in both MS Word and PDF formats can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
Contentment and Thankfulness
I. My recent trip to the Philippines made me aware of the importance of the Christian attitude of contentment and thankfulness.
1. I saw:
A. Extreme poverty.
B. People living in shacks and shanties.
C. People living in 90+ degree heat with high humidity without air conditioning.
Image from: goldenverses.org
A copy of the outline can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. To listen to the next sermon in the series, click here: Part 2To Listen on YouTube, click here: Not Easily Provoked (Part 1)
Not Easily Provoked
Image from: goldenverses.org
A copy of the outline can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. To listen to the previous sermon in the series, click here: Part 1To Listen on YouTube, click here: Not Easily Provoked (Part 2)
I. Why do we become easily provoked?
Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Pride and Self-Esteem (Part 1) - Pride is EvilA copy of the outline can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. To listen to or watch the next sermon in the series, click here: Part 2
Pride and Self-Esteem
Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Pride and Self-Esteem (Part 2) - Biblical Self-EsteemA copy of the outline can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. To listen to or watch the previous sermon in the series, click here: Part 1
Watch the video of this Bible Study on YouTube: Dealing With Fear To learn more about dealing with life's difficulties, click here: Dealing With Problems
Dealing with Fear
I. Definitions
Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Principles and CharacterThe outline in Word and PDF formats is attached below.
Principles and Character
(This outline is based on Pastor Keith Hoover's sermon on Lack of Principle.)
I. Principles
The outline is attached below.
In the World, But Not of the World
I. As Christians we have to live in this world.
1. We cannot entirely avoid the people of this world (1Co 5:9-10).
2. Jesus and His disciples lived in the world (Joh 17:11).
3. God wants us to be in this world for a time to be the salt and light of it (Joh 17:15 c/w Mat 5:13-16).
4. We can use this world, but not abuse it (1Co 7:31).
5. Abuse v. - 1. To disuse, give up. Obs. 2. a. To use improperly, to misuse; to make a bad use of, to pervert, or misemploy; to take a bad advantage of
Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Loneliness The outline is attached below.
Loneliness
I. Definitions
1. Loneliness - The quality or condition of being lonely. 1. Want of society or company; the condition of being alone or solitary; solitariness, loneness.
Watch the video of this sermon on YouTube: Lawsuits and Suing To learn more about the Sovereign Grace, click here: Sovereign Grace
Lawsuits and Suing
I. Definitions
1. Lawsuit n. - A suit in law; a prosecution of a claim in a court of law.
Pastor Wagner preached a sermon in the Excelsior Springs Church on how to deal with depression and stress.
To learn more about dealing with life's difficulties, click here: Dealing With Problems
Austin Hatcher preached a sermon on contentment wherein he covered numerous practical areas of life where Christians often struggle with being content.
Money Management
I. Before we learn how to manage money, let's first learn what money is.
Image from: gossipaunty.com
A master copy of the indented outline in both MS Word and PDF formats can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
Contentment and Thankfulness
I. My recent trip to the Philippines made me aware of the importance of the Christian attitude of contentment and thankfulness.
1. I saw:
A. Extreme poverty.
B. People living in shacks and shanties.
C. People living in 90+ degree heat with high humidity without air conditioning.
To Listen on YouTube, click here: 
Image modified from: www.clipartkid.com
To Listen on YouTube, click here: 
Image from: goldenverses.org
A copy of the outline can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
To listen to the next sermon in the series, click here: 
Image from: goldenverses.org
A copy of the outline can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.
To listen to the previous sermon in the series, click here: 
