The New Normal

10,000 Reasons // My Soul : What Do I Model?

[ECC Lead Pastor, Scott Moore, Covington Campus]

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30 NLT)

CS Lewis says, “We do not have a soul..we ARE a soul. We have a body.”

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT)

Here are three predominant ways to love God with all our soul:

1. Love The Lord with all your soul by making Godly choices.

We make around 35,000 decisions every day.

What are our decisions saying about what/who we serve/worship?

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8 NLT)

But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run (flee) from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:11 NLT)

Flee/run – not a suggestion to avoid but rather a strong word that says GET AWAY QUICK!

Pursue – run toward and chase after right living and choices God would want us to make (godly)

2. Love The Lord with all your soul by pursuing obedience to His Word.

“If you love me, obey my commandments. (John 14:15 NLT)

Our actions prove our love.

The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 26:16 NIV)

True love is accompanied by devotion.

When we obey God we are showing Him our worship.

3. Love The Lord with all your soul by pursuing a life of humility in attitudes and speech.

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34 ESV)

If we are in awe of God..completely humbled..then our words will reflect that awe of God everything we speak.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21 NIV)

When we lift each other up, like Jesus did, then we will worship.

Bottom line:

Our lives should reflect the life of Christ.

If love from the heart = affection.. then love from the soul = devotion.

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. (Philippians 2:12-15 NLT)

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10,000 Reasons // My Heart : What Do I Love?

[Associate Pastor Greg Miller, ECC Covington Campus]

Love is a choice..

So, what do you love?

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30 NLT)

“Worship is about what we love. What we live for. It's about who we are before God.” – Bob Kauflin, Worship Matters

My choices say something about what/who I love?

1. You will worship something.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. (Romans 1:21-23 NLT)

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. (Deuteronomy 5:8 NLT)

What are some idols we have?

Idol = anything that gets my love, focus, attention, affection, resources, time, etc.

• material comforts
• financial security
• sensual pleasures
• reputation, power, control

What do my choices say about what/who I love?

For many of us, we are worshiping a god that is shaped by our greatest wound/hurt. This becomes a fake god to us. This becomes our idol. If it is insecurity that has scarred us, then we will put the need to feel safe and secure above God himself. We all worship idols.

2. You must choose to worship God.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. (1 Peter 3:15 NLT)

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1, 2 NLT)

In view of God's mercy..we OFFER ourselves..we choose to worship or not.

Every choice we make that reflects the heart of God is an act of worship.

When our choices, actions and our affections line up with the words we sing on Sunday..then THAT will be worshiping with ALL of our heart.

If we are not worshiping six days a week, then it won't make any sense to worship him on the seventh day.

How do I make God the main affection of my heart?

1. A right knowledge of who He really is.

2. And an honest understanding of exactly what He has done for us.

BE IN THE WORD!!

Bottom Line ::

Fall in love with God and give Him my full affection..my choices will authenticate my love.

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Family : Beyond Curb Appeal // The Power of Three

[Student Pastor, Kurt Petersheim, ECC Covington Campus]

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

Geese:

Flying in a “V” formation allows them to fly 70% further than they could alone. They take turns flying in the first position to share the burden. And they honk at each other for encouragement.

If you see one goose on the ground. You'll always see two other. They travel in threes. They support each other.

What geese understand, sometimes better than us, is that we need to live in community.

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT)

• The Power of One is foolish.
• The Power of Two is smart.
• The Power of Three is brilliant.

The Interwoven Couple [you, spouse/friend/other, and God]

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

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (James 5:16 NLT)

If there is no God at the center of the relationship, then you will be living in a house that has only curb appeal with nothing alive n the inside.

Prayer keeps God the primary focus of our relationships.

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:7 NLT)

So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. (Romans 14:19 NLT)

Fight for Intimacy

• With God, individually.

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39 NLT)

Insight: When you have intimacy with God, you begin looking like His son, Jesus. The enemy will fight his hardest to distract you from this cause. He will try to entertain you to death.

Practice:

• With your spouse relationally and emotionally.

Matthew 19:6, Ephesians 5:28-29, Malachi 2:15

Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” (Matthew 19:6 NLT)

Insight: The definition of love is two combining to be one.

We all long for intimacy from someone. But we don't want to put all the time, energy, and effort into that is needed to cultivate a healthy intimate relationship.

Like a garden, intimacy takes time and effort.

Practice: Married Life Pathway, Counseling, Make time for each other..whatever you do, FIGHT for it!

• With God as a couple, spiritually, through prayer.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. (Philippians 2:1, 2 NLT)

Insight: God desires unity in all our relationships.

Practice:

S – STOP (make time for God & each other..make it priority)

A – ASK

L – LISTEN

T – TALK (to each other & to God)

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