RiverGlen Christian Church Podcast

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Fatheri s not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”  Misconceptions About Addiction  1. Addiction is limited to drugs and alcohol  2. If you remove the substance or behavior, you break the addiction  Recovery Steps  1. We admitted we were powerless over ___________, and that our lives had become unmanageable.  2. We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.  3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him.  Romans 2:12 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual act of worship.”

Matthew 28:16-19 Having doubt doesn’t mean you’re a hypocrite – it means you’re human.  John 20:19-20, 24-29 Jude 21 “Be merciful to those who doubt.”  Ways to Deal with Doubt  Admit your doubt  Investigate your doubt  Stay in the group  Give Jesus the benefit of the doubt  “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” -Martin Luther King, J

1 Kings 19:2-13 It’s okay to not be okay  Be gentle with yourself because God is gentle with you  Change the way we speak to ourselves  Listen for the whisper Romans 8, Matthew 28:20, Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Corinthians 15:57, John 14:27, Psalm 121, John 15:11, Nehemiah 8:10

 Fear - Sees a threat and reacts Anxiety - Imagines a threat and can’t move on  Underlying Causes of Anxiety  1. Change  2. Hurry  3. Personal Challenges  Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Counterweights for Anxiety  1. Celebrate the goodness of God  2. Ask for help  3. Leave your concerns  4. Meditate on good things  1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”  Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Psalm 109:8-10 “May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.”  Anger is not a sin  John 2:15-16 “So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables…’To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’”  Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.”  Ephesians 4:26 “In your anger do not sin.”  What do we do with anger so we can deal with it in a heathy, God-honoring way?  1. Redirect  2. Replenish  3. Release it  Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

 

 

Malachi 1:2 “’I have loved you,’” says the Lord. ‘But you ask, “How have you loved us?”’  Malachi 3:1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.”  God’s present to us, is His presence with us!  W – words of power I – interesting coincidences T – tangible evidence H - heart change

Hope can make us feel vulnerable when it comes to bigger things in life.  Goal: That we would experience a new sense of hope for our future.  Jeremiah 33:14-16 NLT “ ‘The day will come,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will do for Israel and Judah all the good things I have promised them. In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: “The Lord Is Our Righteousness.” Luke 2:6-7 “When they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.” Jesus came as a baby to fulfill the prophecy of Jeremiah and rescue His people.  A RIGHTEOUS person is someone who lives completely RIGHT With God.  Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. “  “You stand before God as if you were Christ, because Christ stood before God as if He were you.” - Charles Spurgeon  This Hope for the future will transform our present.

Uncertainty often opens the door and in walks anxiety.  Isaiah 6:1-3 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’”  Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel.”  Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”