Series: "SWAYED: Have YOU Been?" - Talk: Truth vs. Lies

Intro:

We started with a version of old game show "To Tell The Truth".

We were trying to figure out who really did this truth...
“I’m ________ and I personally climbed two volcanoes.
(*Listen to the audio to discover the real volcano climber!)

Knowing what’s true in life is as important as knowing what reality is. If you don’t know what’s true in life you’re no better off than someone who doesn’t know what reality is.

How do we know what’s true? What’s right? What’s wrong? Is it what the majority says? Is it what the minority says? Or is it only what, the media, our educational system, or science tells us is true?

Most of us believe that we’re independent and think for ourselves. We don’t think that we’re that influenced by others.

But I want to show you this morning that that’s not true!

Every single one of us here have been influenced.

We’ve been swayed by almost "invisible forces" in our culture that have influenced us all in some way. Once you realize what these forces are, then you'll see their powerful ability to sway you and your friends.

Truth In The Movies" Series: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium - The Possibilities Of A Life With God

Possibilities. Potential. These are things that are usually hidden from the naked eye. It’s so hard to see the true FULL potential in someone and it’s even harder to see it in yourself. Let me give you an example…

Cullen Jones was just an ordinary kid living an ordinary life until one day he almost died. When he was 5 year old his family went on vacation to a water park in Pennsylvania. Jones became separated from his inner tube at the end of a ride down a slide and passed out. He almost drown until they pulled him from the water and performed CPR on him.

Because of that accident his Mom, Debra, just days later, enrolled him in swimming classes. And that decision revealed his true hidden potential as swimmer. In the summer of 2006, he became a professional swimmer after signing with Nike.

(Show other shirtless pic)
At the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships he set a meet record in the 50m Freestyle with a time of 21.84. He also swam a in the world record breaking 4x100 m Freestyle Relay along with Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Neil Walker.

Jones is the third black swimmer to ever make a United States Olympic squad.

And the race he one with Phelps, Lezak and Walker made him the first African-American to hold or share a world record in swimming

If you saw him on that day back in Pennsylvania being rescued from the water, you would’ve have guessed that his potential to be a swimmer.wasn’t very good. But if you would’ve guessed that back then, you would’ve been wrong!

Someone’s true possibilities and potential are sometimes invisible to the eye.
What are all the possibilities of what you can really do and become?

What’s your true potential?

If we could see the combined true potential, the true possibilities, of each person here in this theater we would be shocked!

The problem with people and potential is that so many of us live below our full potential.

Jim Rohn - Every life form seems to strive to its maximum except human beings. How tall will a tree grow? As tall as it possibly can. Human beings, on the other hand, have been given the dignity of choice. You can choose to be all or you can choose to be less. Why not stretch up to the full measure of the challenge and see what all you can do?

Why do we live below our potential? Sometimes it’s because of fear. Sometimes it’s because of doubt.

But the fact is so many people settle for less than they could be and do. People live below their possibilities...

Did you know that to reach your God-given potential you're going to need to accomplish MORE that just the possible? You're going to need to do the impossible.

What am I talking about? Listen to the full talk now.
Stream and listen online. (length 29:00)
Download here.

Supreme Series: Solutions To 2 Problems We Have

I want to talk to you today about two big problems we have and give you two major solutions.

You can see our first problem revealed in this video – check it out…
(You can see the video I showed this Sunday here.

Or you can watch a similar video below...)


Copyright 2007 Orchard Valley Community Church, Aurora, IL
www.orchardvalleyonline.com
info@orchardvalleyonline.com

For those of us in this room who consider ourselves Christ-followers, we have a big problem!

People love (or least like) Jesus, but they have a problem with us. Did you hear what they called us? “Trouble,” “Weak,” “Boo!”

Why do you think people like Jesus, but have a problem with Christ-followers?
I think some of the reasons are...

Christians misrepresenting Jesus with their words and actions, Christians treating non-believers harshly, & media misrepresenting Christ-followers.

I don’t think that any of us are this way, but either way we still have an image problem that we need to overcome if we’re going to ever have a chance to be effective in sharing Jesus with people.

In just a minute we’re going to look at Colossians 4 and see a solution to this problem, but before we do that let me tell you about our second problem…

Our second problem is that we’re missing out on some things in our lives – some things we realize we’re missing and some things we don’t. We’re less effective than God wants us to be and we’re not experiencing all that he wants us to.

We’ll see the answer to that problem in Colossians 4 today.

First let’s review where we’re at in this series. We’re doing a series I’m calling "Supreme." It’s based on a book from the Bible called Colossians. We’re looking at the things God has done for us or wants to do for us that are so much greater than all we chase after in life.

The first Sunday, we looked at Colossians 1 and saw the dangers of letting other things in our lives take the place of God.

The second Sunday, we looked at Colossians 2 and saw the danger there was in adding to Jesus. The danger of adding other philosophies to him and the danger of adding rules and rituals to him.

The third Sunday, we looked at Col. 3 and the mystery that Paul understood about Jesus that few Christ-followers understand: Paul understood the mystery of our union with Jesus. We talked about how realizing this can help us to live more powerfully.

Last Sunday, we looked at a Col 3:18-19 and saw passage of scripture that’s has been misused in the past in ways that caused wives to be mistreated and husbands to be harassed. I helped break apart the old interpretations and helped us see the real meaning that is more freeing and fulfilling to both husbands and wives.

I got a lot of good feedback and response last Sunday after the gathering. If you weren’t with us and want to hear this talk, then look in your bulletin for the URL and you can go stream it online or download it onto an MP3 player.

Alright, so let’s get back to our 2 problems for today…

1. We have an image problem with some people.
2. We’re less effective and experience less than what God has for us.

Let's look at what Paul gives us as our 2 solutions in Colossians 4:2-6...

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"Supreme" Series: Two Requirements In Marriage = Submission & Sacrificial Love

Today, I want to start with a story I saw online…

In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident.

It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to submit and yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.

I’m going to talk to you about something that, in our society, is almost considered a bad word. I want to talk to you today about “submission.”

In our culture submission, in general, is thought of as a negative thing. Submission is seen as a sign of weakness. It’s something for a weak person to do. It’s what you do when you lose or give in. It’s something a less educated or less powerful person should do.

But what if our society’s view of submission is wrong and backwards?

The Bible has a different view of submission. The Bible has a positive view of submission. The Bible actually reveals submission as a requirement for all people in some form whether it’s submitting to God or to submitting to each other. The Bible actually reveals submission as a part of God’s nature!

Bible Commentator, David Guzman said this about submission…

”This idea of an order of authority and submission to an order of authority are so important to God that they are part of His very being. The First Person of the Holy Trinity is called the Father; the Second Person of the Holy Trinity is called the Son. Inherent in those titles is a relationship of authority and submission to authority.

“The Father exercises authority over the Son, and the Son submits to the Father's authority - and this is in the very nature and being of God! Our failure to exercise Biblical authority, and our failure to submit to Biblical authority, isn't just wrong and sad - it sins against the very nature of God.”

Today we’re to take a look at a passage of scripture that talks about submission in marriage and also in some other realms of life. This passage has been has been misapplied by Christ-followers in the past. And I want to shatter those misconceptions and talk today about what the Bible really does say about the roles of husband and wife and about the role of submission and authority.

First let’s review where we’re at in this series. We’re doing a series I’m calling "Supreme." It’s based on a book from the Bible called Colossians. We’re looking at the things God has done for us or wants to do for us that are so much greater than all we chase after in life.

The first Sunday, we looked at Colossians 1 and saw the dangers of letting other things in our lives take the place of God. The second Sunday, we looked at Colossians 2 and saw the danger there was in adding to Jesus. We saw that it was dangerous to add other philosophies to him and it’s dangerous to add rules and rituals to him.

Last Sunday, we looked at the mystery that Paul understood about Jesus that few Christ-followers understand: Paul understood the mystery of our union with Jesus. He understood how we’re one with Jesus just like husband and wife are considered one.

Today we’re going to look at a passage of scripture that’s has been misused in the past in ways that caused wives to be mistreated, husbands to be harassed. The crazy thing is that's not what the Apostle Paul meant! Paul was saying something that was meant to improve marriage relationships.

Today we'll shatter the old, incorrect understanding of these verses (Col. 3:18-19) and look at what these verses really mean for us today.

Stream online
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"The Big Give" - How To Use Your Gifts & Talents To Make A Difference

Intro:

An unknown poet wrote these words that I want to start with today...

My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done;
Leave countless marks for good or ill, ere sets the evening sun.
This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray:
Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way.

Even though we don’t know who wrote these words, we can all relate to this person because this is a person who, like us, wants to live a life of influence.

Last Sunday, I told you that when we think and talk about salvation we usually overlook something. That’s this…

The fact that Jesus saved us for something, not just from something.

God has a purpose for each one of us, individually, and he has a purpose for us as a church.He saved us so we could accomplish something, so we could have an impact on the world and people around us.

Not only does God want us to accomplish something, but each of us here have a desire to matter in this life. We all want to live a life that will make a difference in this world.

We want to have a life that has an influence on others and on this world.

The question I asked last Sunday was this…

*If that’s what God wants and what we want, why don’t more of us find ourselves living a life of influence and impact?

I told you that I think the reason is because we don’t know where to start. We don’t know how to use our gifts and talents in a way to impact other people’s lives in a big way.

And with so many needs out there, wee don’t know who we can help out in the biggest way.

That’s why for these last two Sundays I’m doing this series called, “Big Give.”

In this series, we’re going to be looking at a new matrix that will allow you to discover a way to have larger impact on the people in need around you. It will help you to discover, develop and/or deploy your gifts and talents in new ways.

Last week, I reminded you of this…

God is the one who took the first step and he did the ultimate Big Give. He gave himself and he paid the ultimate price: his ife. And God now expects us to give to others as he’s given to us.

When he sent the disciples out on their first mission Jesus told them this in Matt. 10:8, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”

Jesus wants us to give to others in the way we’ve received – generously and freely! He wants us to help them out, bandage them up, heal them, lift them up, and set them free people who are in need around us.

I told you that the funny this is that I’ve been seeing TV shows living out what God wants us to do better than Christ-followers. Shows like “Extreme Makeover Home Edition”. I think they appeal to people because we crave to live a life like that. I told you last week that it was after watching Oprah’s “Big Give” show that I suddenly had a new idea…

We don’t have to wait until we’re a bigger church to give big. We can have a huge impact on people’s lives at this stage.

It will happen when we each find the sweet spot of our maximum effectiveness. It will be when we begin to live this out together – inspiring each other, working together and challenging each other in the process.

We’re going to provide this through a friendly challenge I’m going to give Smaller Gatheringss that will allow us all to live these ideas out in a unique way. Hebrews 10:24 it says (NLT), “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” The NIV translates it this way… “And let us consider
how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

I’m challenging the SG groups to take the ideas that we’re talking about in this series and run with them in such a huge way that it will be a way we can encourage and spur each other on toward actually living out these outbursts of love and good deeds!

I want your SG group to find an individual or organization that you can do the BIGGEST Give to. I want the idea that you know other groups are using their creativity and aiming high to spur your group to go for it a big as you can

Today will help you to do that. You might want to have a pen handy again as we start.

Listen to this talk now...

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Life Management Series: Gift #3

I haven't had a chance to post "Gift #2" yet, so this is out of order. Sorry!

Intro:
I want to start today by talking about unseen dangers. These are the little-known dangers that are around us, all the time. You can look just where you live and find them!
Did you know…

· A Household dryers can be dangerous? Dryers cause more than 15,000 house fires every year.

· Toothpaste is poisonous?
If you shallow too much of it can actually kill you! Label… “If you accidentally swallow more than used for brushing, seek professional assistance or contact a Poison Control Center right away.”

There are dangers like this from everyday items that we use all the time. I saw something funny online when I typed in “warning labels” on Google…

These are labels from the 11^th Annual M-LAW Wacky Warning Label Contest…

Third place: A baby stroller featuring a small pouch for storage that warns: "Do not put child in bag."

Second place: An iron-on T-shirt transfer that warns: "Do not iron while wearing shirt."

Grand Prize: A label on a small tractor that warns: "Danger! Avoid Death."

The gift we’re going to look at today is another amazing gift that can do a lot of good in our lives and others lives, but there also is a danger comes with it. It’s a danger that most of us don’t even think about, but it’s serious! It has the power to ultimately destroy our lives if we don’t use it carefully!

We’ll look more at that in a second, but first… Let me remind you about what we’re trying to do in this series. When we started this “Life Management” series and I told you…

God has given you (and will give you) all of the "raw materials" and opportunities you need to reach your full potential.

At the end of our lives, no one is going to be able to blame God that he didn’t give them what they needed to make it in this life.

Whether you reach your full potential, or not, will be based on how you managed what you've been given. Did you waste your gifts or cherish them?

For 5 Sundays, we're looking at 5 of the most important raw materials you've been given to form your life with. I'm calling these 5 raw materials of life "5 Gifts" that God has given you to manage.

The FIRST week, I talked about the first gift that God has given us to manage, which is TIME.

You only have 1440 minutes given to you everyday. If you sleep 7 hours that leaves you 1020 minutes. You can never get more. The only way to make more time is by managing it better. How we manage our time becomes our worship to God.

It makes “Time Management” a holy thing!

The LAST Sunday we were here at the theater, I talked about the second gift that God has given us to manage, which is our health. I showed you in the Bible that God care about all of us – not just our spiritual health, but also our mental, emotional and physical health.

I told you that how you manage your gift of health will decide the quantity and quality of your life. You can listen to these last two talks at PathwayPaloAlto.Blogspot.com.

Today we’re going to look at the 3^rd gift.The third gift God’s given us to manage is Wealth.This gift has one major danger...

Listen to the rest:

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*Two Handouts That Go With This Series:

1. "3 Ways To Better Manage Your Money"

• Simple method to eliminate your debt.
• How to grow your money from your knowledge.
• Tips for giving.

2. Ministry & Missions Giving Goals

Life Management Series: Gift #1

Let’s talk about gifts for second. (Show wrapped gift)

We all like getting these. I don’t know anyone who hates getting gifts!

Why do people give them?

To show someone we love or appreciate them. To see the excitement on their faces. To give them someone what they need or want.

But a gift always leaves us with a choice: Will you accept it and use it or will you reject it and throw to the side?

God has given you (and will give you) all of the "raw materials" and opportunities you need to reach your full potential.

At the end of our lives, no one is going to be able to blame God that he didn’t give them what they needed to make it in this life.

Whether you reach your full potential, or not, will be based on how you managed what you've been given. Did you waste your gifts or cherish them?

For the next 5 Sundays, we're going to look at 5 of the most important raw materials you've been given to form your life with. I'm calling these 5 raw materials of life "5 Gifts" that God has given you to manage.

What are you going to do with these 5 gifts God’s given you? Will you accept them or reject them? Use them or abuse them? An unaccepted or unused gift isn’t any better than no gift at all!

Today we’re going to look at the first gift. (Begin opening wrapped present) Let’s see what it is…

Listen to the rest:

Stream the audio
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