Hearts + Minds Ministries

 Sacrifice Define sacrifice in your own words.  What have you had to sacrifice to get where you are?  Abraham was 75 when he was promised a son. Abraham was 100 when his wife gave birth to his son.  Then God told Abraham to take his son up on a mountain and to use his son as a sacrifice.  What would be your reaction to being asked to do this?  Would you do it?  Could you do it?  Could you follow through with it once you got up to the top?  Abraham prepared everything. Laid his son on the alter he prepared. Raised up his sword to hill his son as the sacrifice and God stopped him from doing so.  Why was Abraham willing to do this? For the good of the team right?  What are some things you may have to sacrifice for the good of this team?  What are you willing to sacrifice for the good of the team?  "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."  -  Hebrews 13:16 As the season moves forward each day, think to yourself; what can I s

 Judas - How? How can you follow Jesus so closely and do what you did.  What are you doing that is stealing from what God is doing?  What is it for you?  For the Rabbi it was about killing Jesus.  For Judas it was about the Money Sleaze bag with the money bag. It seemed like this guy with do anything for money.  Are you doing it for yourself?  You could tell the difference in the disciples by their actions.  It is the difference in their words.  Lord vs Rabbi.  Matthew 26:25 Judas calls Jesus "Teacher. " Matthew 26:22 The followers called Jesus "Lord." Judas was waiting for an opportunity to sell out his "friend." Think about motive. What is your motive when doing something? Jesus knew. Jesus also set his face upon Jerusalem. He was focus.  Jesus was not going to allow a man to change his path to what God has called him to do.   Jesus was called to: Be perfect Teach the disciples Change the change church  Die for your sin 1 Corinthians 7:10 - The kind of s

  Down Time May May 22, 2023 Love People - Living Without Offense Proverbs 19:11 - "Good sense makes on slow to anger and it his glory to overlook an offense.  Loving others is Hard Why is it hard to love others?  Think about you. You have your own problems. This is why it is hard to try and deal with other people. Your patience is low because of your own situation.  However, the second greatest command is to LOVE OTHERS.  When you are wronged, how does it make you feel?  In Mathew 27 it gives several examples: Jesus delivered to Pilate to be punished as King of the Jews.  Crowd chose Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus.  Pilate delivers Jesus to be crucified.  Jesus was mocked by the people.  Put on a cross and stripped naked and cast lotts for his cloths.  It wasn't easy for Jesus either.  Luke 23:34 says - "Father forgive for they know not what they do."  Jesus lived his life free from offense.  Jesus had freedom to LOVE others.  You get to choose how you tre

Delicious but not Edible May 19, 2023  I want you to look at the picture above. Man it looks so good doesn't it.  Large tub. Pink in color. Large serving utensil.  I mean what could possible go wrong. You don't have to look at the details of this picture do you? I mean it is what is is. Delicious. I want to eat the whole container as I am writing this.  Let's look at the details of this picture.  That is a tool for spreading dry wall mud.   It is called Dry Dex spackling.   It is in a normal size container.  We have another picture. Large tub. Pink Ice Cream. Looks so good.  What is the difference here. When we start reading the details on this one it says:  Organic hidden vegetables.  Cotton candy flavored.   Peekaboo ice cream.  This is even better than we had imagined.  It is actually healthy for you. I mean what are the chances.  If you slow your life down and take time to really think about the life God has for you;  You will see temptation and flee from it.  You will

Down Time - Monday May 15, 2023 Love God - Its all about relationship.  Matthew 22:37-38 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. this is the great and first commandment." What does love mean to you?  2 Points that Jesus makes.      1. Love God     2. Love People God simple. Keep God simple - LOVE!! Have you ever went to bed not exhausted?  Or Have you had an entire week when you weren't exhausted?  The world is an exhausting place.  God wants us to rest in his love.  When we pursue the love of God first - All other pursuits fall into place.  We were not created to offer our affection any where else.  What pursuits have become more important than the pursuit of God?  Remember that movie "The Pursuit of Happiness" - How wrong can that be?  What are you giving your energy to?  Have you confessed your pursuits to God that don't align with his will?  Ask God to help you.  1 John 4:16 -  "So we have