Transformed Week 4 - Change Your Life by Changing Your Mind

A Message from Dr. Jeff Kellogg

TRANSFORMED - CHANGE YOUR LIFE BY CHANGING YOUR MIND

Message by:
Pastor Terry Crawford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT I MANAGE MY MIND?

1. Because my thoughts control my life!
   Romans 8:5
   For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit



2. Because my mind is the battleground for sin.
   
   Romans 7:21-23 (NIV)
   So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.



3. Because it’s the key to peace and happiness!
   
   Romans 8:6
    For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
   
   Isaiah 26:3
   You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.


3 DAILY CHOICES FOR A HEALTHY MIND

Must feed... free ... focus!


1. I MUST FEED MY MIND WITH TRUTH
   
   Matthew 4:4
   Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”



2. I MUST FREE MY MIND FROM DESTRUCTIVE THOUGHTS
   
   1 John 2:15-16
   Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.



3. I MUST FOCUS MY MIND ON THE RIGHT THINGS
   
   Hebrews 12:3
   Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
   
   Philippians 2:3-4
   Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
   
   Colossians 3:1-2
   Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.


NEXT STEPS:


• Today I commit to read the Bible daily to feed my mind with truth.
• Today I commit to place my thought life under the authority of Christ.
• Today I decide to focus on Jesus, others and eternal things.

Transformed Week 3 - FROM STRESSED TO BLESSED

TRANSFORMED – FROM STRESSED TO BLESSED

Message by:
Pastor Terry Crawford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

1. Transfer the Stress
   
   Psalm 23:1-4 NIV
   The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
   
   LOOK TO GOD to meet all my needs.
   
   TRUST GOD in the Dark Valleys.
   
   EXPECT GOD to finish what he starts in me.
   
   
2. Get the right Rest
   
   Psalm 23:2a NIV
   He makes me lie down in green pastures…
   
   OBEY GOD’S instruction about rest.
   
   Exodus 34:21 NIV
   “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
   
   Three Things to Do on a Sabbath
   
   
   • Rest my body.
   • Refocus my spirit.
   • Recharge my emotions.
   
   
   
3. Trust in the Best
   
   Living outside of God’s wisdom and direction brings damage to my health.
   
   1 Timothy 4:8 NIV
   for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
   
   Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV
   My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body.
   
   Proverbs 3:7-8 NIV
   Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.
   
   Proverbs 14:30 NIV
   A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
   
   You can’t disconnect your mind/stress from you physical.
   
   Wisdom says, eating/drinking good things for your body and exercise is helps with your health.
   
   Proverbs 17:22 NIV
   A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones

NEXT STEPS:

Today I commit to having a Sabbath rest sometime this month.
Today I commit to trust God with a current trial or through the next dark valley.
Today I am stepping away from an ungodly path and turning to a godly path.

Buck Sexton's: Historical Deep Dive

Buck Sexton celebrates the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto, with a deep historical look at the significance of this historic naval battle between the Ottomans and Christians over 600 years ago.The battle was fought between the Christians and Ottomans in the strait between the gulfs of Pátrai and Corinth, off Lepanto, Greece. The fleet of the Holy League commanded by John of Austria, opposed the Ottoman fleet under Uluç Ali Pasha.

* Duration 1:19h, Published 10/7/14 2:16:44 PM

* Episode Download Link (27 MB): The Buck Sexton Show: Presents Battle of Lepanto

* Show Notes: Sound Cloud Show Notes

* Podcast Feed: Buck Sexton (Podcast Feed Link)

* Buck Sexton's Battle of Lepanto study guide

Transformed Week 2 - How to Get Closer to God (Spiritual Health)

TRANSFORMED – HOW TO GET CLOSER TO GOD

Message by:
Pastor Terry Crawford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

The further away you get from God, the more your life is troubled

The closer you get to God, the more your life is transformed.

The LOST Son & LOVING FATHER: Luke 15:11-24 (ESV)
¹¹And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. ¹²And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. ¹³Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living.¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.
¹⁷"But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”²⁰’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

1. GET FED UP WITH MY LIFE
   
   Luke 15:13-17
   ¹³Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!
   
   Luke 10:27a (NIV)
   He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind';



2. OWN UP TO MY SIN
   
   Luke 15:17-18
   But when he came to himself … I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
   
   Isaiah 59:2
   your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
   
   Psalm 51:1-4
   ¹ Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ² but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. ³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. ⁴ Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
   
   Isaiah 1:18
   “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.


The HABIT of a Regular Spiritual Check-up:

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

1 Corinthians 11:28
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.


3. OFFER UP MYSELF
   
   Luke 15:12
   Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.
   
   Luke 15:19
   Treat me as one of your hired servants.
   
   Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
   ¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.


THE FATHER’S RESPONSE

Luke 15:22-23
²²Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.


4. LIFT UP MY PRAISE TO GOD
   
   Luke 15:23-24
   ²³let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate
   
   Psalm 68:4
   Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the LORD.
   
   Psalm 13:6
   I will sing the LORD’s praise,for he has been good to me.
   
   

NEXT STEPS:

This week I will do a spiritual check up and examine my life.
Today I am taking responsibility for my sins and not blaming others.
I am fed up with my life far from God, so I am coming to Christ today and offering myself to Him.

Transformed Week 1 - Setting Personal Goals

TRANSFORMED - SETTING PERSONAL GOALS

Message by:
Pastor Terry Crawford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

WHY ARE GOALS IMPORTANT TO CHANGING MY LIFE?

1. GOAL-SETTING IS A SPIRITUAL RESPONSIBILITY


2. GOALS ARE STATEMENTS OF FAITH
   Matthew 9:29 NIV
   Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”;


3. GOALS FOCUS MY ENERGY
   1 Corinthians 9:26 NCV
   So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air.


4. GOALS KEEP ME GOING
   Job 6:11 NLT
   But I don’t have the strength to endure. I have nothing to live for.


5. GOALS BUILD MY CHARACTER
   Philippians 3:12 GNB
   I do not claim that I have already succeeded or have already become perfect. I keep striving to win the prize for which Christ Jesus has already won me to himself.


6. GOOD GOALS WILL BE REWARDED
   Proverbs 11:27 GNB
   If your goals are good, you will be respected, but if you are looking for trouble, that is what you will get.

1 Corinthians 9:25-26a (NLT)
“All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step.”

WHAT KIND OF GOAL DOES GOD BLESS?

3 questions to ask:

1. WILL IT HONOR GOD?
   1 Corinthians 6:20 (CEV)
   God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.
   1 Cor. 10:31 (CEV)
   When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God.
   2 Corinthians 5:9 NIV
   So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.



2. IS IT MOTIVATED BY LOVE?
   1 Corinthians 16:14 NLT
   And do everything with love.
   1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT
   Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.



3. WILL IT REQUIRE DEPENDING ON GOD?
   Proverbs 16:9 (Mes)
   “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.”

3 “Must Haves” to reach your goal and change your life

1. I NEED GOD’S SPIRIT TO EMPOWER ME
   
   Zechariah 4:6 (NCV)
   “You will not succeed by your own strength or power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.”



2. I NEED GOD’S WORD TO GUIDE ME
   
   Joshua 1:8 (NAB)
   “Keep this Book of the Law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may carefully follow all that is written in it; THEN you will successfully attain your goal.”



3. I NEED GOD’S PEOPLE TO SUPPORT ME
   
   Ecclesiastes 4:12 (Mes)
   “By yourself you’re unprotected. But with a friend you can face the worst. And a group of three is even better because a rope braided with three strands is not easily snapped!”

This week in your small group (Intro)
How to set personal goals in faith & The 3 secrets of achieving any goal
Bring your journal to your group AND weekends!

Making the Most of Opportunities

Message by:

Pastor Terry Crawford

Covenant Church

Shepherdstown, WV

3 Essentials for a Great Life

1.       GIVE MYSELF to a purpose greater than myself.

 “We believe a great COMMITMENT to the great COMMISSION and the great COMMANDMENT will grow a great CHURCH!”

2.      JOIN with great people committed to that purpose.

3. MAKE THE MOST of great opportunities.  

Ephesians 5:16 (NLT)

“Make the most of every opportunity for doing good . . .”      

  

Success is the Management of opportunity.  People, who are good at this see, sift, sense, and cease opportunity.  Skill we can learn to do.

A.     I MUST say no to good opportunities SO I CAN SAY YES TO GREAT ONES.

1 Corinthians 7:35 (NLT) 

 “I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.”             

B.     EVERY OPPORTUNITY must be evaluated.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 (NCV)

“Test everything, and keep only what is good.”              

4 QUESTIONS TO ASK

·         WHAT DO I NEED to know and who knows it?

Proverbs 18:13 (LB)

“It is stupid to decide before knowing the facts!” 

Proverbs 15:22 (TEV)

“Get all the advice you can, and you’ll succeed; without it you will fail.”     

·          WHAT MIGHT BE the unintended consequences?

Proverbs 22:3 (LB) 

“A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them; a fool goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”

        

There are upsides and downsides to ever decision you make. 

Expect the best (faith), plan for the worst.  Scenario planning.  Nothing wrong with planning, wise thing to do.  But you hold it with an open hand knowing that God is in control.  No plan has ever worked perfectly.  Everything on the planet is broken and imperfect.  Never let selfishness and pride guide what you do.  A great soul puts aside their personal ambition for the sake of others.

·         WHAT’S my motivation.

Philippians 2:3 (NCV) 

“Never let selfishness or pride be your guide when you do things.”              

Matthew 16:24 (NLT)

Jesus: "If you want to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and then follow me.”     

    

·         IS THIS THE BEST USE of my time and energy?

1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV) 

“Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial, and not everything is constructive.”           

C.     OPPORTUNITIES COME when I least expect them.

Matthew 24:44 (NLT)

Jesus: “You must be ready all the time, for I will come when least expected.”      

You have to be ready.  Joseph ready. Moved from pit of despair to pinnacle of power.

2 Timothy 2:21

D.     I MUST STAY flexible to be ready.

Galatians 5:25 (NIV)

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” 

     

 Proverbs 10:5 (Mes) 

“Make hay while the sun shines.”   

Opportunities are often disguised as problems. 

Inflexibility, busyness and a lack of faith cause us to miss opportunity.

E.     EVERY OPPORTUNITY will have opposition.

1 Corinthians 16:9 (NLT)

“There is a WIDE-OPEN DOOR for a great work here, and many people are responding! But there are also many who oppose me.”                  

F.      GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BRING great responsibility.

Luke 12:48

“To whom much is given, much will be required, and to whom much more is given, even more will be expected from them.” 

NEXT STEPS:

1.         Today, I commit to join in the Kingdom work here at Covenant by getting involved in a ministry.

2.        Today, I commit to engage in Sunday worship for the next 7 weeks during the “Transformed” teaching series.

3.        Today, I take a step of faith and surrender my life to Jesus Christ and following him.

   

Breaking Free Week 13

Breaking Free from Stress

Message by:
Pastor Terry Crawford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

Stress is allowing
the fear of failure
to rule your mind.

So how do we break free from Stress?

1. Run to Daddy.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Prayer puts life back in the right perspective.

Romans 8:14-15 (NIV)
¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Matthew 10:28 (NIV)
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell

James 4:12a (NIV)
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy.

There are rewards for those who pray.

Matthew 6:6 (HCSB)
But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

2. Refuse to be God.

Romans 12:3 (NLT)
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

3. Rest in God’s Peace

Peace and fear can’t co-exist.

John 16:33 (NIV)
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 14:27 (NIV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

NEXT STEPS

• Today I will go to God in prayer about areas of stress in my life.
• Today I will thank God for the good things He has given me.
• Today I decide to trust in the peace of Jesus, not in the fear of failure.