²⁶BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷and do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:26-27 (NASB)

Hostage - Anger - 08.30.2009 from Life Church of Rome on Vimeo.

1. How Not to Handle Anger. People usually fall into two categories. There’s two wrong ways to handle anger. First, there are spewers and second, there are stewers.

a. Spewers - Get it out in the open, They send emails, not just an email. They use bold and caps lock. They underline. They send text messages, they leave messages on the answering machine. They get it out, they feel better, they get it off their chest.

b. Stewers -  Are a bit harder to find, but still dangerous. They keep it all within, and it stirs inside, and the anger just builds up. It’s like water that’s about to boil, and you say everything is fine, yet you are ready to rupture like a volcano because it’s been stirring on the inside.

2. How to Handle anger.

a. You make it right!

b. You take the exit ramp! ¹⁴The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. Proverbs 17:14 (NASB) 

We apologize, due to circumstances beyond our control, the video for this past week’s message was rendered unusable.

Technology may fail, but our God never does.

Be sure to visit LIFE Church Sunday, August 30th for week 4 of “Hostage”!

Series:Hostage
Topic: Addictions

Ephesians 6:12 – “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Will you choose Jesus and His plan for your life, or Satan’s plan of failure and deceit?

Hostage - Addictions - 08.26.2009 from Life Church of Rome on Vimeo.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

The master plan of the enemy is to separate us from others, ourselves and from God.  

Jonah 2:6 – “Yet, you have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.”

Christ, through His death and resurrection, reached down, and pulled us up from the curse of sin, death, and the devil. These had brought us low. But by His grace, He lifted us up. Through faith, we take His hand, and we take hold of all of the gifts that He has won for us.

Psalm 23:3 – Through faith, our soul has been restored.

Daily, Christ lifts us up through His Word and Spirit. He lifts us up through the offering of Himself. Here, He feeds and nourishes us. He is present, and through faith, He forgives our sins, and renews our spirit. He picks us up, and gives us strength for the journey. DON’T STAY DOWN. GET UP!

There will be times when situations will knock you down and beat you up. Don’t wallow in misery or self pity. In faith, take hold of Christ. Get up, brush the dust off. Hold on to Christ, and get on with the journey. When you’ve hit bottom, don’t stay there. Look in faith to Christ. He can raise you up, when you hit bottom.

Do you want to break free…or remain hostage?

Series: Hostage
Title: Bitterness

Hebrews 12:14 - 15 “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; because without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and to defile many.”

Ephesians 4:31 - 32 (NASB) 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

Hostage - Bitterness - 08.09.2009 from Life Church of Rome on Vimeo.

Two Biblical thoughts about bitterness:
a. Bitterness has a dangerous root. Bitter roots absorb the hurts and they store it. And when these roots do that, they start to grow. Bitterness produces a dangerous root.

b. Bitterness produces a poisonious fruit. Out of this dangerous root of bitterness, our lives start to exude hatred and anger and rage and something just totally poisons relationships. Whenever a bitter root grows up, many people, including you, will be corrupted by its poison.

Five qualities of bitter people:
1. They justify their bitterness.
2. They are overly critical.
3. They celebrate others misfortunes.
4. They write off entire groups of people.
5. They can’t see bitterness in the mirror.

For videos of past sermons check out the video page on our website or our vimeo page!

Sunday, Mark taught about serving. We learned about:

1. Who should be serving? Everyone!

1 Peter 4:10 - Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

2. What gifts in particular should I be using? Below are links to spiritual gifts tests to find out your gifts.

http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1

http://www.christianet.com/bible/spiritualgiftstest.htm

http://archive.elca.org/evangelizingchurch/assessments/spiritgifts.html

3. Why should I do this? What’s the point? God says so!

Ephesians 6:7 - Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.

Romans 12:6-8 - We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

To read Mark’s recap of Sunday you can click here.

Sunday, Jason shared three reasons to “jump” into the vision at LIFE Church or “jump ship”:

1. God deserves it.

2. Our city depends on it.

3. The next generation benefits from it.

Jason also shared a vision God gave him one night:

I see a city where prisons are empty, the homeless have careers, divorce attorneys are out of work and the name of Jesus Christ is made famous.

I see a city where yesterday’s drug dealers are now mentors, prostitutes are now school teachers, alcoholics are now counselors and the name of Jesus is made famous.

I see a city where those who are far from God find healing from their past, feel loved in the present, and are given a new start for the future.

I see a city where parents are once again role-models for their children.

I see an army of 20,000 Christ-followers who give, pray, serve, and lead as though tomorrow is their last day on earth.

I see a mighty outpouring of God’s favor on Rome, Georgia that is evidenced all around the world.

I see a city where every night of the week, in every neighborhood, and every street there are families meeting together to find healing from their past, help for the present, and hope for the future.

I see a city where divorce is not a problem, abortion is not an option, and child abuse is not an issue.

I see a church full of different races, statuses, creeds, worldviews, who assemble for the purpose of making God look good.

I see a city that is better for my kids, and grandkids, because they, unlike myself, never have to be afraid of standing up for Jesus.

I see a city where the hungry have food, the naked are clothed, the underprivileged have stability, the handicapped are accepted, and the unlovable feel loved.

I believe LIFE Church is the pioneer of this vision, and I am willing to work, pray, lead, serve, sweat, cry, and if necessary die, to see this vision fulfilled.

Join us Sunday as we continue the series “Transformers”, learning about “Control.” We also have a special guest speaker, Jimmy Carroll, pastor of Journey Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Get ready to be transformed!

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2