Keys to the Good Life Pt. 1

Keys to the Good Life
Part 1
Don’t Play God

Before we start, consider this illustration: on a key ring are many different keys based on the doors they access. It would be foolish to only choose one key to gain access, right? The keys on this ring are meant to be together as one. Keys to the good life are meant to be taken as a whole; they aren’t multiple choice or up to you to pick and choose. Like the key illustration, God intends you to be an owner and to have full access to all.

The world has this completely wrong. The good life does not come externally or made up of your surroundings. They keys to the good life start from within and shows up on the outside. Cutting corners and faking it won’t work. “Keys to the good life” was the first [lesson] Jesus taught in His public ministry.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

1. God blesses those who know that they have no righteousness of their own.
“poor in spirit” = is a person who:
1) has a deep, internal awareness that they cannot please God on their own;
2) rejects self-confidence and self-reliance; and
3) is willing to depend on God’s grace and mercy.
Proverb 14:12 – To live the good life, you need to be ready to do and say what the world says is strange. Man’s fallen nature wants to be God.

2. Accept that we don’t control everything (Romans 7:15-25)
If we don’t:
· We become frustrated (v.21)
· We become worn out/overcome (v.23)
· We give up/fail or become totally defeated. The enemy has to convince you to lose.
Other areas you cannot control include addictions, pain, frustration, disappointment, or trying to control other people through manipulation, guilt, intimation or feart.

3. Totally and humbly depend on God for all that He has.

Matthew 11:28-30
2 Corinthians 12:9

































































































































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Power to Succeed Pt.14

Power to Succeed in Hard Times
Part 14

We’ve traveled a long way in this series without theme music! Run DMCs’ “Hard Times” was prophetic before its time.

2 Corinthians 9:6 – No one likes hard times. You’re supposed to succeed in hard times, but you have to know how. “Hope” in the Bible is expectation. Your giving is connected to what is coming (vs. 8) and enables all God’s grace abound toward you. There is no promise in God that is yet to be fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 1:20). Imagine if you stepped into your God-given role and demonstrated the power within yourself! Hold fast to your confession, your hope and do no waver (Hebrews 10:23). Remain steadfast and when the clouds clear, all will see that you stayed the course. Your mind and body will always be off course until you (the inner man) gain control of your mind. Your prosperity and health will only be up to the level of your mind and mouth. What is spoken from the abundance of your heart will be manifested in life. Your health comes from the inside out (3 John 2). God loves a cheerful giver – you have anticipation and expectation.

Put your money where your mouth is! People who have a problem with giving are experiencing a heart problem. Money has a hold of your heart

Hope in God allows you to give like never before. Hope gives you the power to make it.
Modes of giving:
· Strategically – giving with a promise (plan) in mind.
· Spontaneously – unplanned giving. Giving when the “spirit moves you” is careless, reckless, and haphazard. When you give this way, guess what you’ll get in return? Cares, wrecks, and hazards!
· Sacrificially – giving beyond what you initially planned to. When you give according to God’s plan, you’re obligating Him. Abraham was prepared to give sacrificially, proving nothing came between him and God.
When you give God your best, you can receive God’s best. In doing so, you demonstrate faithfulness and loyalty. It says you can be trusted. Do not allow convenience (otherwise known as the flesh) be your requirement for obedience.
Luke 6:38 – Nothing happens until you go first. You will not get back what you gave – you always receive more. If it’s not more than you can deal with, it didn’t come from God!