45 – Rethink: Love
Ephesians 3:15 – 19 (KJV)

He can fill you with a fullness and satisfaction that only God can take away.
When Paul wrote this, he was in prison
Paul says for this cause I can a prisoner of Jesus Christ because of you Gentiles…I wouldn’t be locked up but for my love and devotion for Jesus Christ.

Not in good circumstances but he was still content.

The power that drives the entire Bible is love.

Victory from the Lord doesn’t mean the blessings fall just on your house, they can fall on others and we’re still winning.

1. Paul is not praying that God’s people would know that God loves them, but that they would know God’s love.

Difference in knowing that God loves you and knowing God’s love. Example, knowing that H2O is water will not quench my thirst.  I don’t need a deeper understanding of water….I just need the glass and ice then I can fully know water.  Studying water but never drinking it is what it’s like to know that God loves you but not knowing the love of God.

**The love of God in Christ is:
Four components that tell us how good God’s love is

1. So wide it shows its extent to all nations and ranks…..love has been expanded to whosoever will

2. So long that it continues from that is continues from everlasting to everlasting….goes from the time of His walk to get to us.  Need to be living for Him or die in Him

3. So deep, it saves even those who are sunk into the depths of sin and misery…..pulled the thief on the cross out.  He stopped dying long enough to take a thief to Heaven with him.

4. So high it raises us up to heavenly happiness and glory….so good to us that He won’t leave us here, raised beyond our current existence; the Holy Spirit will give you a foretaste of Glory Divine

2. Love in scripture is a declaration and an obligation.  For God so loved the world….He loved me so much that He was willing to give me His only begotten son.  All acts declare over and over that He loves us.  He’s coming from us.

Once you realize that, it alters who you are.  It affects how you live your life.  I want others to know about this love.  When the sun comes up, He’s saying He loves me.

I have an obligation to share this with others.  It will be like fire shut up in my bones unless I tell someone else.

The Bible tells us about His love but it also tells us about our obligation.

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph.D.
Principal
R.F. Bumpus Middle Scho

45 – Rethink: Church
Ephesians 2:19-22
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22 NIV)

What is the church to you?
Is the church a place you go to or something you’re a part of?
Is the church a social club that you participate in or a place you belong?
Is the church a building you drive to or a body you are a member of?
Would it still be church if everyone you looked to or know was gone?

Some do church religiously, not relationally.
Went to move from religion to relationship.

We have a need to be around people.  If not church for some, it might be the casino.
God desires us to worship Him but He also desires us to get together to worship.
Blessings fell on the church when it was in unison in the bible.

Many get turned off, not from church, but church folks.

#1 We are a Family
When you became a believer of Christ Jesus, you became a member of His family.
You are no longer foreigners and strangers but citizens because of what Christ has done.

Last week, we talked about slaves and slave owners being members of the same church.  He’s further driving home the point that we are family.

THIS family can be friendly.
Foreigners are different from strangers.
In the church setting, a foreigner is one who hasn’t joined  with the church, haven’t been baptized.  Accepting Christ makes you a citizen of the Christian faith.
Because of what Christ has done, we are no longer strangers.

If Christ accepts everybody, who are we to discriminate against anybody.  We are to accept whosoever.

God is the head of our family….not Rev. Sparks.  His role is different from mine.  He’s the “teller” and the leader.  You have to find your job.

Our God in heaven is never too busy to deal with us because we’re a member of His family.

Church is a place of peaceful refuge.
It’s a place where people work together.

#2 We are a Building
Not the building that we come to……WE ARE the building, the house of God.  We are each a brick.  God dwells in us.

Everyone of us matters.

Jesus is the cornerstone of this building.  It’s not based on us, it is based on Him.  He is immovable.

#3 We are God’s home

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph.D.
Principal
R.F. Bumpus Middle School

45 – Rethink: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life
Ephesians 6:5 – 9
Teaches us that the church is the body of Christ
Instructs us on how we are to behave as believers
Says Christians are to get along with each other
Written by Paul.  He established the church at Ephesus.

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:5-9 NIV)

People complain because it gets results.  If you have a legitimate concern, bring it to the table.

Charles Walgreen’s had to rethink how he did his work.  It wasn’t for money.  He just wanted to grow.

1. Servants/Employees are to be Obedient, Respectful and Sincere (vs. 5)
Can’t expect a heavenly blessing when you’re giving a hellish output
Be obedient, respectful and sincere no matter how they deal with you, you have a responsibility to be Christlike.

What if you worked EVERYDAY as if you were going on vacation the next day?  Production is HIGH the day before someone goes on vacation so there won’t be any issues while you’re out.

Christians should be leading the pack.  Not the laziest.

Paul wrote to Timothy, whoever is a slave should make the best of it.

Respect is vertical and horizontal.

2. Employees are not to be Hypocrites
Serve the same whether the employer is watching or not.
God looks at our actions and our hearts.
Don’t expect extra for doing what you’re paid to do.
Others will see the value in your work if you do.
How you value your job determines how people value you.
You have to find honor in what you’re doing…..not just when the boss is looking.
You have to be ok for the job to be ok.

3. The Lord is the Ultimate CEO

4. Supervisors are obligated to be Fair
This is hard.  You can’t lead people you don’t care about.  Bad employees deserve to be treated with honor and compassion. Other employees, who know who the bad employees are, are watching how you treat the bad employee.  Use everything in your power to make a bad employee better.

God doesn’t see supervisor/employee.  If both are Christians, He only sees His children.

Your attitude is the key to finding fulfillment.  You must be thankful for what you currently have. Don’t take what you have now for granted.

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph.D.
Principal
R.F. Bumpus Middle School

45 – Let It Go

Philippians 3:13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

When people leave you, let them go.  Their part in your story is over.

I. Understand the Value of Time
We don’t have forever to get it together. Stop wasting time on things that don’t matter. Things that don’t add value.  Learn how to say goodbye and Let It Go.

How valuable is a month?  Ask a mom who’s baby was born a month early.
How valuable a year is? Ask a child who failed a grade.
How valuable is an hour? Ask someone who is nearing death and is waiting for someone to arrive.
How valuable is a week?  Ask someone who gets paid weekly and they don’t get paid that week.
How valuable is a minute? Ask someone who has missed a flight.

Time is a human convention.  We created today, tomorrow and yesterday.
2 Peter 3:8 One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

We are limited in our scope.

In a 76 Year Life Span
3 years acquiring an education
7 years eating
14 years working
5 years riding in an automobile/airplanes
5 years talking
1 year sick or recovering from sickness
24 years of our life sleeping
3 years reading
12 years watching tv, movies, fishing
= 74

Church is less than 5 1/2 months.

II. Don’t Be a Slave to the Past
Learn how to value time and don’t be a slave to the past. Don’t see people or ourselves with yesterday eyes.

Paul said…..if he can forget his past….when he was Saul (the chief sinner).
But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind.

Not forgetting is only hurting you.  It is not hurting them at all.  It is a burden in your life, not theirs.

Let the bags of the past go. Can’t enjoy the things from now.

III. We Need to Establish a Priority in our Lives
Paul said this…..a PRIORITY, not priorities.  “But this ONE THING I do….reach forth to what God has for me.”

Made tents
Preached
Wrote books
Healed sick
But his one priority was

If anything and everything can pull you away from the main thing, then it isn’t the main thing.  The main thing should not be optional.  If it is optional, it isn’t the main thing. Don’t expect Him to be the main thing for you if you don’t treat Him as the main thing.

What is your focus?

Don’t hold on……Let It Go!

Tamala R. Maddox, Ph.D.
Principal
R.F. Bumpus Middle School