Big Idea: you and I were created for community

Then The Lord said, “it’s not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.

Genesis 2:18

There is a God shaped hole in every heart that nothing else can fill There is a human shaped hole in every heart that God chooses not to fill. The Christian Life is not just about believing, it’s also about belonging and becoming.

Memory verse

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Why do we need community?

1. Because we grow better together

Walk with the wise and become wise associate with fools and get into trouble

Proverbs 13:20

Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character

1 Corinthians 15:33

2. Because we Learn better together

Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Acts 2:43‭-‬47

3. Because we Serve Better together.

So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.” Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove. Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands? Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham “made right with God by works” when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? Isn’t it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are “works of faith”? The full meaning of “believe” in the Scripture sentence, “Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works? The same with Rahab, the Jericho harlot. Wasn’t her action in hiding God’s spies and helping them escape—that seamless unity of believing and doing —what counted with God? The very moment you separate body and spirit, you end up with a corpse. Separate faith and works and you get the same thing: a corpse.

James 2:14‭-‬26

This is what True Faith looks like

• Persevering
• Retained by trials
• Holds to God’s promises in prayer
• Leads to compassionate Care for others

The Key to Peace is Realizing two Truth:

1. There is a God
2. I’m not him

The cause of conflicts: Pride

Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

James 4:1‭-‬2‭, ‬2‭-‬3

The Cure for conflict: Humility. Humility means thinking of myself less

The pathway to Peace

1. Surrender to God

So humble yourselves before God

James 4:7a

2. Stand firm against the devil

Resist the devil and he will flee from you

James 4:7b

3. Stay close to God

Come close to God and he will come close to you.

James 4:8

If we don’t pray it’s a sign of pride , because we are telling God that we can handle life without him.

Memory Verse

Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up

James 4:10

Hearing and Doing

Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

James 1:19‭-‬27

Why is Hearing Without doing so Dangerous?

1. You’re only fooling yourself
2. Your religion is worthless

Two myths about faith and works

1. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you believe.
2. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you do.

The Truth about faith and works

Good works don’t create faith, Good works reveal faith.

We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saved us is never alone.

Martin Luther

If our religion doesn’t transform our image, our religion is worthless

The Bible was not given for our information, but for our Transformation

D. L. Moody

Memory Verse

But don’t just listen to the word, you must Do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourself.

James 1 :22

I, James, am a slave of God and the Master Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered to Kingdom Come: Hello! Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

James 1:1‭-‬8

James was the half brother of Jesus and he did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah untill he rose from the grave.

Truths about Trials

1. They are inevitable
2. To respond rightly we must think rightly
3. To think rightly we must pray for wisdom

Memory verse

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I have come that you may have life and have it to the full

John 10:10

How can I make wise Decisions

1. Ask God for wisdom

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God

James 1:5a

Believe God will Guide

If you need wisdom ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking

James 1:5

Some things Christians believe about God’s will

The Dumb thing:

God has a detailed blueprint for my life that is hidden and mysterious and I must somehow discover it in order to know God’s will for my life.

The smart Thing

God has designed a game plan for my life that is set forth in general guidelines and principles and includes lots of freedom and flexibility.

What’s the difference?

A blueprint is spelled out in great detail.

A Game plan has general guidelines with an occasional specific play

Commit to doing what he says.

Don’t just listen to the word, you must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourself

James 1:22

How to follow God’s Game plan for my life

1. Stop waiting for a vision and start looking for a Verse.
2. To discern the way trust and obey.
3. To be informed I must commit myself to the process of being transformed

The most important decision I can make is to Trust in Jesus

Memory Verse

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do no depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do,and he will show you wich path to take

Proverbs 3:5-6

Hi everyone my name is Marie Nicole I am 37 years old and I was born 11 weeks premature. As a result of my very early birthday I developed a brain hemorrhage and spent the first 3 months of my life in the N.I.C.U. at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; during which time I had my first operation to repair the hemorrhage.When I was one year old I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. As a result of my diagnosis I was put into physical therapy and had what I refer to as my. “Miracle operation when I was 7. The operation allowed me to began walking with a walker a few weeks after the operation Therapy was a weekly part of my life until I was 13.At this point in my life I told my mom that I had had enough of therapy and I wasn’t going anymore because it “sucked” As a result of my attitude and rebellion walking eventually became difficult and as a result i had to have another operation and learn how to walk again at the age of 15

Fast forward to December of 2009. I was 26 and about to end my college career. I was 185 pounds and I used a power chair to Get around campus and I was only able to walk short distances at this time.

I knew that something needed to change so I committed to getting fit and healthy and began my health journey on January 5th 2010

One year late I was blessed with two amazing opportunities! One was a 6 week stint in physical therapy during which time I learned how to walk long distances and the other opportunity was being selected to be on a tv show called Live Big with Ali Vincent. While I was being motivated and encouraged by the new friends that I had made I trained for and completed my first 5k.In 2014 when the show ended I felt the desire to encourage other the way I had been encouraged to live a health life.

In November of 2014 my cousin introduced me to a friend of hers who was health and fitness coach in February 2015 I became a health and fitness coach and it is a blessing to serve my community #coachmarienicole.com

I absolutely love my entire week , and it’s mostly because I have a favorite TV show for every day of the week.

Monday, I look forward to watching The Good Doctor. I love that show, especially Freddy Highmore.

Tuesday, I look forward to watching two shows on two different channels. This is Us on NBC and Haves and Have Nots on OWN

I’m loving This is Us this season even though it’s sad Right now because of the story line involving Rebecca.

The other show that I love on Tuesday is Haves and Have Nots on OWN.

I love cheering for Hannah when she does the right thing, and I love yelling at the T. V. during any storyline involving Jim or Veronica

Wednesday night is my favorite night because of Life Group. While I am at Life Group though, I know that Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P. D. Are recording

On Thursday night I look forward to watching CBS.

I love young Sheldon, Mom and Carol’s Second Act.

All of those shows make me laugh.

I also love watching A Million Little things. It’s simply an awesome show.

Sometimes on Friday I watch Shark Tank.

It’s so interesting.

Jesus Feeds the 5,000

When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick. Toward evening the disciples approached him. “We’re out in the country and it’s getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper.” But Jesus said, “There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper.” “All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said. Jesus said, “Bring them here.” Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. About five thousand were fed.

Matthew 14:13-21

Jesus Meets my needs when…..

1. I Bring my needs to him

Give your burdens to the Lord and he will take care of you

Psalm 55:22

2. I Remain Thankful

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus

1 Thessalonians 5:18

3. Offer my entire life to him

Memory Verse

If you try to hang on to your life you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake you will save it

Matthew 6:33