Potter's Hand Sermons

Be Different

Pastor Steve — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 16:41:00 GMT

I Peter 1:13

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The Power of Three (Part II)

Pastor Steve — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:43:00 GMT

Eccl. 4:12; James 5:16

I. If you really want God's power you're going to have to fight for intimacy.

A. The first relationship you're going to have to fight for n intimacy with God individually.

1. When someone is accepted fully, affirmed fully, in the context of authority and accountability that is what you call a secure person.

2. When you know Jesus Christ and you know that your past is forgiven, a purpose for living, and a future in heaven, that creates security in a person.

B. You have to fight for intimacy in a marriage with your spouse relationally and emotionally.

1. You are going in one of two directions:

a. Toward oneness, togetherness and connection.

b. Toward isolation, separateness and disconnection.

2. Guard your heart. (Malachi 2:15)

C. You're going to have to fight for intimacy with God as a couple spiritually through prayer.

We need to S A L T this thing with prayer.

1. Stop.

2. Ask.

3. Listen.

4. Talk.

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Step Out

Pastor Steve — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:37:00 GMT

Matthew 14:25-32

I. What happens when we step out?

A. There is always a call. (vs.29)

B. There is always fear. (vs27)

C. There is always reassurance. (vs.27)

D. There is always a decision. (vs. 29)

F. There is always a changed life. (vs. 32)

II. Water walkers recognize God's presence.

A. Obedience is no guarantee of being spared adversity.

III. Water walkers discern between faith and foolishness.

IV. Water walkers get out of the boat!

The Power of Three (Part I)

Pastor Steve — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:55:00 GMT

Ecclesiastes 4:12

To love does not simply mean to look at one another, but to look together in the same direction. (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

1. The power of one is foolish.

2. The power of two is smart.

3. The power of three is brilliant.

I. The Interwoven couple:

A. A couple who invites the Lord into their relationship through prayer.

James 5:16:

1. "Confess your sins to each other". The principle of authenticity.

2. "Pray for each other". The principle of reciprocity.

3. "Heal. The result.

4. "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective". The principle of integrity.

5. God says that I"ve got to be real.

6. Men, especially the married ones, you are married to God's daughter.

7. Conflict is inevitable, destruction is optional.

8. We should make every effort in our relationships to make for peace.

9. If you really want God's pwer your're going to have to fight for intimacy.

What Does God Say To Families? (Part 3)

Pastor Steve — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:50:00 GMT

What Does God Say To Families?

Luke 6:31; Ephesians 6:1-3

I. What God says to children:

II. What God says to parents:

III. Discipline your children.

A. Everyone needs discipline.

B. Discipline is painful.

1. The Bible says that any action done in anger is always wrong.

C. Discipline is for their benefit not my benefit.

IV. God says to nurture your children.

A. Love is spelled LEAD.

B. Love is spelled PRAY.

C. Love is spelled GROW.

V. God says show compassion to your children.

1. Parenting is planned uncertainty.

2. You cannot guarantee the circumstances of your children's lives.

3. You cannot guarantee even the choices that they're going to make.

What can you do?

"What matters is the faith that expresses itself through love."

What Does God Say To Families?

Pastor Steve — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 13:53:00 GMT

Luke 6:31; Ephesians 6:1-3

I. What God says to children:

"Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. Honor your father and mother is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, so you will live well and have a long life." Eph.6:1-3 (Msg)

A. Keep fighting.

B. Don't fight alone.

II. What God says to parents:

A. Don't exasperate your children.

What exasperates?

1. Unclear boundaries.

2. Unpredictable discipline.

3. Unbalanced criticism.

4. Unreasonable demands.

5. Unspoken expectations.

6. Unresolved anger.

Parenting Is a Relationship part 2

Pastor Steve — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:27:00 GMT

Parenting Is a Relationship
Matthew 19:14; John 13:34-35

Jesus taught us that our love for God and our love for each other is most important.

Everyone, everyone, feels like a failure as a parent at times.

But everyone can also love at all times.

Jesus paved the way for us in relationships with children.

We all want somebody else to love us like Jesus but we struggle with loving other people like Jesus.

Four things you and I need:

1. I need a better example.

a. It's a matter of trusting.

2. I need a stronger foundation.

a. I will give love as I have received it.

Romans 8:1, John 15:9, Eph. 5:1-2

b. God's love is a non-condemning love.

3. I need a higher purpose.

a. Parenting must have a purpose that is higher than itself.

Psalm 115:1, Psalm 127:3.

b. Children are a gift from the Lord.

4. I need a greater power.

a. Caution: Don't try this at home without an expert.

I Jon 4:19, Phil. 4:13

Putting it into practice:

Love is spelled "show. Acts 20:35

Love is spelled "time. I Cor. 13:1-3

Getting Into Shape

Pastor Steve — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 16:45:00 GMT

I Timothy 4:7-8

10 principles:

1. Get an accurate look at your current health.

Psalm 26:2

2. Set the right goal.

3. Recruit a partner.

4. Establish healthy nutritition habits.

5. Take supplements.

6. Do aerobic training.

7. Do strength training.

8. Apply intensity.

9. Rest.

10. Celebrate.

Getting in shape doesn't come by accident, it takes a plan.

Are You Hungry for Christmas?

Pastor Steve — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:31:00 GMT

Are You Hungry for Christmas?

Luke 1:26-27, 38, 46-49, 52-53

I. We're hungry when we recognize the emptiness of life without God.

A. Picture of emptiness:

1. Nazareth.

2. Israel hadn't heard from God in over four hundred years.

3. Empty.

II. We're hungry when we receive the will of God with glad surrender.

III. We're hungry and we're satisfied when a display of God's holiness leads to a display of my happiness.

A. Holiness scares us.

B. Holiness is happiness in God.

IV. We're hungry and satisfied when we forego other pleasures for the pleasures of God.

Getting Ready for Christmas

Pastor Steve — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 14:39:00 GMT

Luke 2:10

Four blockers and four anecdotes for Christmas.

I. Worry:

1. Means to strangle.

Anecdote:

A.. Christmas is time to release my fears.

1.. When your needs are not being met, God is not first place in your life.

2. The more I worship, the less I worry.

II. Doubt.

Anecdote:

A. Christmas Is the time to renew my faith.

III. Guilt.

Anecdote:

A. Christmas is a time to receive forgiveness.

IV. Resentment.

Anecdote:

A. Christmas is a time to rebuild relationships.

Is Walking in the Wilderness a Choice? Part 2

Pastor Steve — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 13:08:00 GMT

Is Walking in the Wilderness a Choice?

Deut. 8:2-6

II. By way of the wilderness.

A. Humility does not come naturally to us.

1. Humility is the ability to see ourselves as God sees us.

B. God puts us in the wilderness until we want the Promised Land enough to fight for it.

C. God leads us in the wilderness.

D. It is not God who forgets, it's us.

E. Humility breeds contempt.

III. O Let me ne"er forget.

A. The journey to the land of promise should have taken eleven days, but it took them forty years.

1. Prosperity can lead to pride.

2. Pride can lead to a sense of power.

3. Power is blind to the One who provides.

B. When we forget, we lose our sense of wonder and gratitude.

C. Sufferings have their purpose.

1. They drive us to desparation and prayer.

IV. Don't make a wasteland out of a wilderness.

A. God uses the wilderness as a learning lab.

B. The wilderness is a place and time ordained by God.

C. Ruth Graham said four things make trials better:

1. When I know who is in control.

2. When I know I'm not alone in my suffering.

3. When I know the purpose of God is behind it.

4. I become more compassionate with and understanding of others.

D. Every time you see a person used by God, you see someone who has had to unlearn self and learn Christ.

Is Walking in the Wilderness a Choice?

Pastor Steve — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:31:00 GMT

Deut. 8:2-6

I. Wilderness roads.

A. Men and women of whom the world is not worthy are recognized in the secular world.

B. When things don't work out perfectly, and when we come to a place of desperation, we can conclude one of three things:

1. We can believe that God created the heavens and the earth and now just sits back and watches us.

2. God is not really sovereign and that He has limited or no control over our circumstances.

3. God is sovereign and nothing happens in our lives unless He allows it or orchestrates it.

C. The wilderness is a transforming place.

Talking Turkey Skit

Pastor Steve — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:05:00 GMT

What We Have To Be Grateful For

Pastor Steve — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:02:00 GMT

I Chronicles 29:16

I. Four things to be thankful for:

A. I'm grateful to God for the grace He's shown me.

B. I am thankful to God for the plan He has for me.

C. I'm grateful for the home He's prepared for me in Heaven.

1. What is Heaven like?

a. Reunited.

b. Rewarded.

c. Reassigned.

d. Released.

D. I'm thankful for the changes He's making in me.

II. Four ways to give God thanks:

A. By singing.

B. By serving.

C. By giving.

1. At Thanksgiving it's the best time to review my giving commitment.

2. It is also the time to renew.

3. Try to outdo.

D. By telling.

Preparing for Rain and Having A Dream! Part 2

Pastor Steve — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:53:00 GMT

Preparing For Rain and Having A Dream!

Jeremiah 29:11

I. Five potential dream busters:

A. Your family.

B. Your friends.

1. We tend to perform at about the same level as those that are close around us.

2. The biggest threat to christian young people is negative peer pressure.

C. Fatigue.

1. Never make a life changing decision when you're depressed.

2. Never decide to quit when tired.

D. Failure.

1. Build on our hopes not on our hurts.

2. Build on the future, not on the past.

E. Fear.

1. Never confuse the dreaming phase with the problem solving phase.

II. How to Build your dream:

A. Pray for wisdom.

B. Stretch your imagination.

C. Establish a goal.

D. Visualize the results.

E. Commit your dream to God's care.

Preparing for Rain and Having A Dream!

Pastor Steve — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:18:00 GMT

Preparing For Rain and Having A Dream!

Hebrews 11:1

I. Five potential dream busters:

A. Your family.

B. Your friends.

1. We tend to perform at about the same level as those that are close around us.

2. The biggest threat to christian young people is negative peer pressure.

C. Fatigue.

1. Never make a life changing decision when you're depressed.

2. Never decide to quit when tired.

D. Failure.

1. Build on our hopes not on our hurts.

2. Build on the future, not on the past.

E. Fear.

1. Never confuse the dreaming phase with the problem solving phase.

II. How to Build your dream:

A. Pray for wisdom.

B. Stretch your imagination.

C. Establish a goal.

D. Visualize the results.

E. Commit your dream to God's care.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Pastor Steve — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:03:00 GMT

Indiana Jones and the Last Cruade

I. They must pass three word puzzles to reach their goal.

A. Only the penitent man shall pass!

B. The two most costly things on earth are salvation and sin.

C. You never be a worshipper until you're a confessor.

D. There has to be a humbling before there is a hallelujah.

E. There has to be a cleansing before there can be shouting.

II. Desperate cover-ups.

A. Adam and Eve tried to conceal their sin from God.

B. Then there was Cain.

C. Then there was Achan.

D. A NT parallel would be Ananias and Sapphira.

III. Finger pointing.

A. For one year David all he could to hide his sin.

IV. Coming clean.

A. One of the reasons David was spared from death and total devastation was because of his response.

B. David was ready to repent.

C. Maskil means to instruct.

D. For sin there is a covering, and for deceit there is a cancelled debt.

E. David was now ready to worship.

F. He wrote "selah" which means to pause and think about what had just been said.

V. The Great comeback.

A. More than anything, David wanted again the joy, favor, and fellowship he once had with The Lord.

B. David pointed at least nine areas of his life affected by his sin:

1. Eyes.

2. Mind.

3. Ears.

4. Bones.

5. Heart.

6. Peace.

7. Joy.

8. Spirit.

9. Gifts and talents.

C. There is no joy when sin is present.

Why Are You Here Today? II

Pastor Steve — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:03:00 GMT

Why Are You Here Today?

Heb. 10:19-22; 4:14-16

Why?

I. Intimacy with God.

II. A restored faith.

III. Defeated enemies.

A. The best way to deal with your enemies is worship.

1. Worship saves lives.

2. Worship saves time.

3. Worship collapses your Jericho.

IV. Contentment in life.

A. Worship gives you contentment and peace in time of trouble.

V. Salvation of others.

VI. Transformed lives.

Why Are You Here Today?

Pastor Steve — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Hebrews 10:19-22; 4:14-16

Why?

I. Intimacy with God.

A. Carrying your altar.

B. There is one condition if you want God to move your mountan. It is forgiveness. (Mark 11:24-26)

C. If we do not choose to forgive, we choose to be damned.

D. Questions to ask:

1. Is there anyone you can't or won't forgive?

2. Is there any hurt that you can't stop talking about.

3. Are there any unresolved conflicts in your life?

** If so, you are limiting what God can do in you, through you, and for you.

Dogs forgive and forget better than humans do.

E. Drawing near

1. We don't hear from God often because we don't come clean.

II. A restored faith.

A. Worship gives you a new perspective.

B. God didn't deliver, He joined them.

The Timing of Worship

Pastor Steve — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:30:00 GMT

John 4:23; Romans.8:35,38,39

Our worship responses are divided into time segments.

I. Perhaps our strongest concepts of worship are rooted in the past.

A. Experiences cannot be transmitted genetically, nor transfered historically.

B. Often it is the doctrine rather than the experience that is passed on to succeeding generations.

C. Worship is a now activity.

II. For some worship is future minded.

A. Good intentions cannot substitute for godly worship.

B. A promise cannot substitute for performance.

III. Now is the accepted time.

A. Worship is practicing the presence of God.

B. If we will not worship today, we will not worship tommorrow.

**If worship is love responding to love, and if nothing in heaven, earth, or hell can separate us from God's love, then surely nothing can separate us from responding to that love.