Amazing Grace Community Church

From Duty to Delight

We can get so focused on doing things for God that we lose all sense of intimacy with Him. As a Christian moves from a legalistic, performance-based lifestyle into the grace walk, he will find an increasing interest in developing intimacy with Christ.

A performance-based Christian often studies the Bible to gain information.  A grace-based Christian studies seeking revelation. God wants us to desire Him. We are Christ’s bride, not His hostage.

Scriptures: Luke 15:18,19; 1 John 5:3; John 17:25,26  and reference Grace Walk by Steve McVey

Trash Your Value Systems

Value systems may influence behavior but God is not interested in systems of living.   God is interested in relationships. An intimate relationship with Him will produce a godly lifestyle. A focus on behavior will not create intimacy with God or a godly lifestyle.

God’s empowering grace of Jesus will produce righteousness whereas our self-effort will always fail.

Find out what is wrong with right / wrong value systems.

Scriptures:  Genesis 2:8,9,16,17; 3:1-7;  Romans 7:14-25 and reference Grace Walk by Steve McVey

Grace address Law Keepers and Law Breakers

Many Christians focus on keeping the OT laws of God. Their concept of victorious Christian living is to avoid wrong actions and do right ones.  Legalism activates the law of sin and death.

Other Christians live a carnal life with their mind set on the flesh.  Grace abusers. Prodigals.  A person who chooses to live with their sin activates the flesh.

The Christian life doesn’t revolve around doing or avoiding, but around being. Paul asks the church, “did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 

Scriptures: Romans 7:1-10: Jude 1:17-24 and reference Grace Walk by Steve McVey

How Do You Identify?

Who are you?  We’ve been programmed to think of identity as inseparable from behavior. But God doesn’t look at it that way. He doesn’t determine identity by behavior but by birth!  

Have you let your behavior or sin be your identity?  Do you struggle with your self-worth?

You must know who you are (at the spirit level) to change what you do, or to come out from under your behavior and live out your new identity.

Your Past is not your Identity.

Scriptures:  2 Corinthians 5:17;  Ephesians 2:10;  Romans 4:1-8;  2 Corinthians 1:8-10;   2 Peter 2:4-10 and reference Grace Walk by Steve McVey

I Got it God—Watch This!

In order to experience genuine peace it is necessary to come to a place where you no longer rely on your self-sufficient techniques and patterns. You probably won’t give up easily, because you have relied on those resources all your life. Amen?  So God may allow the weight of adverse circumstances to become greater than the strength of your flesh. 

One of the best Bible stories about the fallacy of doing God’s work without Him is Abraham and Sarah engaging their handmaid to conceive the promised heir.

The NT is a story about God Himself doing the work through a person totally yielded to Him.!!

Scriptures:  Genesis 15-16:4;  2 Corinthians 12:9: 1 Corinthians 10:13;  1 Thessalonians 5:23,24; Galatians 2:20 and reference Grace Walk by Steve McVey

Performance-based Christianity

Christians who believe that by keeping certain rules they will grow in the Christian life are stuck on a treadmill of trying to improve their spiritual performance—never achieving it and losing joy in the process.  The Motivation-Condemnation-Rededication cycle of a typical Christian life leads to misery or dropout.

Truth Shock: We are not under the law, we are under grace!  The Ten Commandments are for non-believers.

Our behavior did not get us saved and it won’t “unsave” us. 

The best day of your whole life is being born for the second time!

Scriptures:  Ephesians 2:8,9;  Romans 11:6; 6:12-18;  1 John 2:3-6, 5:3;  John 14:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:8-21;  Galatians 3:19-25; 1 Timothy 1:8-11 and reference Grace Walk by Steve McVey

Second Coming of Jesus to Jerusalem

Why should you want to know about this?

Without this biblical knowledge you will be more easily deceived by fake End Times that control your present.  This knowledge will help you endure the tough times.  

What you believe about what happens when we die and how the earth is going to end reveals who your God is.

This prophecy gives hope to those who are weary, downtrodden, upset with how the world is.  Hope gives people energy and drive to go on.  Hope inspires people to focus on doing something with eternal value now in this life.

Scripture:  Zechariah 14

Honor Your Father and Mother

Mother’s Day is celebrated worldwide. Mother's Day isn’t a biblical holiday.   But the bible does address motherhood throughout.  Biblical motherhood starts with biblical womanhood. 

What is our duty to mothers individually and as a church?

Our childrens ministry and school is all about helping mothers with their children.  Note we are assisting—not taking over.   Find out the 5 main things we should do in supporting others.

Scriptures:  Exodus 20:12; 1:15-2:10;  Titus 2:3-5;  Proverbs 31:30

Everything for the One Thing

Matthew 13:44-46 - I would venture to say that most of us spend more time with the Everything and less with the One Thing.  That if something has to be compromised, it’s the One Thing.  We never ask the boss for time off so that we can rest up to be ready for church or to have some time alone with Jesus.  Most of us don’t take vacations to go be alone with God.  We pack it with activities and excitement.  You are likely asking yourself if I’m a madman.  This is crazy talk!  And even if I was willing to do this, I’m too busy.  I’ve got obligations.  Bills to pay.  Children. Parents.  Ha, even church ministry!

This is where the Jesus Equation comes back in.  It’s where we start.  Go and Sell Your Possessions and Give to the Poor.  It's a 2 part command.

Scriptures:  Matthew 13:44-46; 19:20-22; Luke  10:42

Unknown Caller

When God calls us, is He an Unknown Caller?  Do we pick up the phone and answer?  Do we recognize His voice?  Do we have ears to hear?   How DO we hear God?  Are we in a state of listening?  Listen in (ha) as we discuss the various ways we hear God speaking.  

Scriptures:  1 Samuel 3;  John 10:22-27;  Matthew 13:10–15;  Romans 1:18-22; 8:15,16;  Psalm 19:1-6