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VIDEO: D6 CONFERENCE 2009 HIGHLIGHTS

D6 Conference 2009 Highlights from D6 Conference on Vimeo.

D6 - The Shema - Deuteronomy 6:4-9

What is the most-often quoted passage of Scripture in the world?

John 3:16? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Psalm 23? The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

What about the shortest verse in the Bible? John 11:35 - Jesus wept.

These are all great passages of Scripture which many down through the generations have put to memory.  But, the distinction of being the most-often quoted passage of Scripture in the world goes to Deuteronomy 6:4-9! This is the section of Scriture the Jewish people call the Shema.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NKJV) "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

The word Shema literally means "to listen" or "to hear" in the Hebrew language. Each day in Orthodox Jewish homes, usually in the morning and evening the Shema is recited. It's used as a morning blessing, a bedtime prayer and in special dedications such as "home blessings." Traditionally the Shema was quoted every Sabbath, and the congregation would stand to recite these most holy words. Even today, the Shema is quoted at every deathbed, and is part of the mojor feasts and celebrations of the Jewish people.

The Shema is so important that most Bible scholars believe it is the first Scripture Jesus learned as a child. Before He could speak, walk or read He heard it everyday in His home. In fact, when Jesus was asked what is the most important commandment, He quoted part of the Shema (Matt 22:36-40).

The Shema is central to all the teachings in the Bible and shows us how to build a legacy of faith from generation to generation.

The Shema provides three foundational lessons for the home:

1. Loyalty to God
2. Tranmission of our faith to our children
3. Keeping constant mindfulness of the teachings of God

The home is where children must be taught faithfulness and fidelity to God. They must hear it taught and see it lived out authentically in their parents. No one is perfect, but the intentional nature of faithful living is critical.

Unfortunately, in our culture, we have "outsourced" the spiritual discipleship of our children to the church.  We send them to the "professional discipleship makers" (the pastor, youth pastor, children's pastor, and Sunday school teacher) and we think we are doing our part, but that is not the command of Scripture.

Don't get me wrong, the church plays a vital role in the life of Christians, but the first layer of spiritual influence is the parent, not the church!

Action Steps:

1. Pray the Shema as a family.
2. Teach this passage of Scripture to your children
3. Daily live by Biblical principles and be an example for your children

Remember, more is "caught" than is "taught!"

HOW TO OVERCOME NEGATIVE FAMILY PATTERNS

Sunday morning at Victory Church I spoke on the subject of becoming a "Transitional Generation Parent." Even if you grew up in a dysfunctional family, you can be the “transitional generation.” With the help of the Lord, you can break the chain of dysfunction from your past and help your children move beyond negative family patterns. Below are four steps to help you overcome negative family patterns:

 

     1.  ADMIT YOUR BROKENNESS  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

The first step to overcoming unhealthy family patterns is to examine the problems plaguing your life and bring that brokenness to God. Awareness often starts by looking at the past.
Ask yourself, “Why did I act (or react) the way I just did?”  When we slow down we almost always find the answer.

We have to see our brokenness as a sign of strength, not weakness! When a person is truly broken of ego and can look at personal issues with a healthy perspective, he or she is ready to be a transitional generation parent. By facing your brokenness you have a better chance to bring a brighter future to your family.

So many people have the opportunity to the transitional generation parents because of their messy childhoods. 

ACTION STEPS:

• I can’t do it on my own.  I am broken.
• Christ can and will help me as I call upon Him.
• I must relinquish my will to the will of God.

 

2. DEVELOP THE COURAGE TO MAKE CHANGE (Luke 6:12)

I’m sure you have experienced that it is easy to get weary and lose heart when it comes to making the right parenting and relational choices. Life-change first requires what Gary Smalley calls “self-care” and Bill Hybels calls “self-leadership.” These great leaders challenge us to make sure we leave enough room in the margins of our overcrowded lives to pay attention to our own soul so that we have something left for our families.  (i.e. Jesus - Luke 6:12)

For any parent, our ministry is to raise our children. The problem is we tend to neglect our own need for solitude and replenishing relationships, then wonder why we are so burnt out. We will do so much better making healthy changes when we take the time to nurture our souls. 

ACTION STEPS:

• What areas of your life do you need the courage to change?
• Have you built “margin” into your life to work on your own soul? (i.e. prayer, reading God’s word, etc.)
• Remember, you can’t help your kids come to a place you haven’t been. 

 

3. ESTABLISH REPLENISHING RELATIONSHIPS (Galatians 6:2)

Too many people are trying to go at it alone. We are not meant to handle heartache, sickness, andbroken relationships by ourselves. We were made for community!

There are 2 types of people in your life:

VDP’s - very draining persons - (don’t ignore - minister to these)
VIP’s - very inspiring persons - (needed for replenishment)

We all need to be intentional about establishing replenishing relationships! Do you invest in replenishing relationships at least once a week?

 

4. KEEP THE ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE (2 Corinthians 4:17)

The secret to perseverance in parenting and being the transitional generation is not creating a plan for the next 3 moths or 3 years or even 30 years - but realizing that our efforts will establish a legacy for eternity! The Apostle Paul had an eternal perspective which kept him moving in the right direction.

When we are focused on an everlasting, eternal legacy, we naturally will...

#1 - Put first things first and choose right priorities
#2 - Admit our brokenness
#3 - Develop the courage to make changes
#4 - Establish those replenishing relationships

We MUST keep an eternal perspective!

All our struggles will not disappear as we adjust to a more eternal view of life, but our life will be focused on the right priority - and that is to - “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

Jim Burns says, “You Can Choose to RECOVER From Your Family’s Past Or REPEAT It.”

SUNDAY MESSAGE: DUCT TAPE DADS!

This Sunday at Victory Church I will be preaching a message titled "Duct Tape Dads!"  In preparation for this message I ran across this "Duct Tape - MythBuster" video.  Enjoy!

MY DAUGHTER, KRISTEN ON MISSION TRIP TO BRAZIL

Pictured is my daughter, Kristen pointing to Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.  She is traveling there with the Free Will Baptist E-Team.

Her mother and I left her on Tuesday at the Free Will Baptist Bible College for a week of training.  She will then be in Brazil until the end of June. We are anticipating the Lord to do great things in her life!

Free Will Baptist have had a ministry presence in Brazil since the mid 1950's when pioneer missionary Thomas Willey visited Brazil. His findings prompted the FWB Board of Foreign Missions to send missionaries to share the good news with Brazilians.

Click here to read the history of FWB ministering in Brazil.

THIS WEEK'S PARENTAL PRAYER OF BLESSING AT VICTORY - Repentance

Weekly Scriptural Parental Prayer of Blessing For Our Children:

REPENTANCE

Prayer: "Father, when my children sin, quickly lead them to confess and repent so they might enjoy a clear conscience and unbroken fellowship with You, Amen."

Psalms 32:1-2 (HCSB) How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How joyful is the man the LORD does not charge with sin and in whose spirit is no deceit!

1 John 1:5-9 (HCSB) Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with Him” and walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

THIS WEEK'S PARENTAL PRAYER OF BLESSING AT VICTORY - Spiritual Blessings

Last week at Victory Church was a powerful moving experience as the "blessing" was prayed over our children.  It was a very emotional and spiritually moving time as parents, with one hand raised toward Heaven and the other hand placed upon their children, prayed for God's blessing to rest upon them.  Wow!  What a powerful scene!   

The prayer of blessing we will pray over our children this week at Victory Church are for "Spiritual Blessings" to be bestowed upon our children.  Below is the prayer of the week:

"Father, remind my children that You have adopted them in love. Enable them to experience all the spiritual blessings they have in Christ Jesus, especially Your measureless love. May they act, speak, and think in ways fitting for a child of God."

I would encourage all parents to pray this prayer aloud over your children this week as the Old Testament parents did.  As your children hear you claim God’s blessing on them, several things will happen:

1. It will build their faith
2. It will remind them of their true God-given identity
3. It will reinforce your—and their Heavenly Father’s—great love for them.

Below are the Scripture references closely related to the "Spiritual Blessing" being prayed this week.

Ephesians 1:3-14 (HCSB) Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.  For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ for Himself, according to His favor and will, to the praise of His glorious grace that He favored us with in the Beloved. We have redemption in Him through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He planned in Him for the administration of the days of fulfillment—to bring everything together in the Messiah, both things in heaven and things on earth in Him. We have also received an inheritance in Him, predestined according to the purpose of the One who works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will, so that we who had already put our hope in the Messiah might bring praise to His glory. When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (HCSB) For this reason...I pray that...the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love...

Ephesians 5:8-10 (HCSB) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— discerning what is pleasing to the Lord.

"THE BLESSING" - PART OF VICTORY'S D6 STRUCTURE

Beginning this Sunday at Victory Church, I am going to lead and assist our parents in a prayer of blessing over our children!

Blessing our children is part of a rich biblical heritage.

In the Old Testament, fathers regularly pronounced blessings on their children (Gen. 27:26-29,39-40, 49:1-28).

As New Testament believers and priests of God (1 Pet. 2:9), one of our privileges is to bless others. When we invoke God’s name over His people, God blesses them  (Num. 6:22-27).

Each week I will post on this blog a prayer of blessing for our children.  As you pray these blessings for your children, consider pronouncing them aloud, as Old Testament parents did. Hearing you claim God’s blessing on your children will do several things for them.  It will...

1. Build their faith
2. Remind them of their true God-given identity
3. Reinforce your—and their Heavenly Father’s—great love for them.

I'm sure many of you have read the book by Dr. John Trent and Gary Smalley titled: The Blessing.  The blessing is the unconditional love and approval bestowed upon a child and are related in five elements:

1. Meaningful touch
2. A spoken message
3. Attaching high value
4. Picturing a special future
5. An active commitment

The family blessing begins with "meaningful touching."  It continues with a "spoken message" of high value, a message that pictures a "special future" for the individual being blessed, and one that is based on an "active commitment" to see the blessing come to pass.

The prayer of blessing this week will be for the assurance of our children's salvation: Parents, I would like to encourage you to begin praying this prayer over your children:

Lord, lead my children to trust only in Jesus’ sacrifice for their eternal salvation; assure them that their souls are secure in Your hands.

Following are some Scripture verses for this particular prayer:

John 3:16 (HCSB) “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 10:28-29 (HCSB) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 

1 John 5:13 (HCSB) I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Join us at Victory Church this Sunday to experience this powerful experience!  Also, be sure to check back each week as I post another weekly "prayer of blessing" for our children.

Video - D6 Conference 2010 - September 15-17

D6 Conference 2010 Promo (Short Version) from D6 Conference on Vimeo.

SUNDAY'S D6 MESSAGE ON SERVANTHOOD IS NOW ON THE PODCAST

I realize many of our Victory Church family were traveling last Sunday, therefore, you can still hear the D6 message on "servanthood" on the podcast (the podcast player is to the right of this post).  Below are the D6 family take home sermon notes:

D6 Family Theme for Week 12/27

SERVANTHOOD

D6 Weekly Goal: To inspire Christians to love others practically by serving like Jesus.

__________________________________________________________

Fusion Facts

1. Service opportunities sometimes happen when we least expect them.  (John 2:1-11)
2. Jesus is able to take our limited resources and do the impossible. (John 6:1-13)
3. A praying heart opens the door to opportunities of service (Philippians 1:1-8)
4. When seeds of compassion are sown, service is grown           (John 9:1-11)
5. When we serve others we are serving Jesus (Ephesians 6:5-8)

____________________________________________________________

Servant Leadership (Mark 10:35-45)

Thought 1: Being a SERVANT is NECESSARY for the believer and Christian leadership.  (Mark 10:35-45)

Jesus taught them this lesson, “If they wanted to be leaders in His Kingdom, they had to be SERVANTS.”

Thought 2: The wrong attitude for servanthood is to serve out of the HOPE of REWARD! (Mark 10:35-45)

____________________________________________________________

Point #1: The world’s view of servant leadership IS NOT Jesus’s definition. (Mark 10:42-43)

Point #2: SERVICE is the measure of Christian  leadership. (Mark 10:43-44)

Point #3: Servant leadership is modeled after JESUS' behavior. (Mark 10:45; John 13:1-15)

____________________________________________________________

Six main points of servant leadership:

1. “Servants lead out of RELATIONSHIPS, not by coercion.”
2. “Servants lead by SUPPORT, not by control.”
3. “Servants lead by DEVELOPING OTHERS, not by doing all the ministry themselves.”
4. “Servants GUIDE people, not drive them.”
5. “Servants LEAD FROM LOVE, not domination."
6. “Servants seek GROWTH, not position.”

____________________________________________________________

Take Home Family Study: Read Mark 9:33-35; Luke 9:11; John13:1-15

Three questions for the believer:

1. What is your motivation in serving?
2. As you look around, what is the need in front of you now?
3. What do you have to give? (Acts 3:6)

Going deeper: Take time to ask yourself and those in your family these questions while pondering the idea of servanthood.

1. Who in your life best reflects Jesus’ servant heart?
2. What Christ-like qualities does he/she exhibit while serving?
3. How has God uniquely gifted you to serve?

This week be sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit as He leads you to opportunities of “humble service.”

D6 FAMILY TAKE HOME STUDY

 
The D6 family theme for week 11/01 through 11/07 is "hope."

Each Sunday at Victory Church I will be sending families home with a "D6 Family Take Home Study" which correlates with the D6 theme of the week and the weekly message I share.  This is a great way for families to interact together spiritually, thus helping you to become D6 families! (For those who may not be familiar with D6 - click here.)

Below is this week's D6 Family Take Home Study:

1.  As a family, share some stories this week of seemingly "hopeless" situations you have found yourself in.  Also, share how the Lord answered your prayers and brought you through that particular situation.  KEY: Christian hope grows out of faith.

2. As a family, explain the purpose of anchors to your children.  Then share that by placing our faith in Christ we have "anchored" our life in Him.  Therefore, we are safe and secure in Him!  When the storms come on the sea, the sailors are safe because they have their anchors secure in the rocks.  Reassure your family that when the storms of life come your way, you are safe because you have placed your "hope" in Christ and He is our anchor!  KEY: Christian hope is an Anchor.

3. As a family, read the words of the old hymn "My Hope Is Built." KEY: Christian hope is a Person - Jesus Christ.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

Sing-a-long! Now click here and "sing" together as a family this old hymn.

VICTORY LEADERSHIP TEAM STRATEGIC MEETING

  Last evening the Victory Church Leadership Team had our first of two strategic planning meetings. The strategic plan is a tool we put in place to help us reach our vision. You may be asking, "What is our vision?" Good question! Below are our vision and mission statements. I will be sharing more concerning this in the future.

VISION STATEMENT:

"Building D6 families to carry out the great commission and the great commandment."

MISSION STATEMENT:

"Promoting radically transformed lives!" (In short: RTL's!)

We are in the process of evaluating everything and every ministry at Victory in light of our vision and mission statements. Please pray for our leadership team as we complete this process.

Also, if you have not signed up for SPLINK, then do so today! It's FREE! Maybe you did not understand me ... it's FREE! :)

Go to this website to sign up: http://www.d6family.com/splink/week/2009-10-25

THE WORD OF GOD - IT IS YOUR LIFE!

“For they are not meaningless words to you but they are your life, and by them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”—Deuteronomy 32:47

It's puzzling that so many Christians try to live the Christian life without reading their Bible, except for sporadic readings of God's Word, seeking a pithy thought for the day.

The Word of God is not merely a source of helpful suggestions, preventative warnings, or inspirational thoughts: It is life itself!

God gathered the children of Israel at the edge of the Promised Land to review their pilgrimage with Him. They had spent forty years in a desert because their parents had not trusted God's word. Their parents died without seeing the Promised Land because they had not believed God's word. Even the revered Moses was soon to leave them because he had not shown proper reverence for God's word. Many of them knew those who had been put to death as a consequence of their disobedience to God's word. Over the years God's word had become the most important thing in the life of the Israelites.

God commanded His people to bind His words on their hearts, to teach them diligently to their children, and to regularly discuss them in their homes (Deut. 6:4–9). So essential was His word that it was to hold a prominent place in the daily lives of His people.

Our reverence for God's Word is revealed not only by what we say but also by what we do. Spending more time reading and studying the words of people rather than the Word of God, reveals our hearts' condition. To blatantly disregard God's Word is to reject life itself. To obey God's Word is the surest way to experience all that God has in store for us.

D6 FAMILY THEME: JUSTICE

This week's D6 family theme is "justice."

Today's Fusion fact: "It is unjust to oppress the poor."

Today's Scripture reference: Luke 20:45-47; James 5:1-7

An added thought on justice:

Justice is doing what is right for another person, or ensuring that what is right takes place. The Old Testament prophets spoke much about the need for justice, and Israel and Judah were both criticized for not treating widows and orphans justly. The prophet Micah gave this prescription for right living: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8, niv).

In a stricter sense, justice means giving a person what he deserves as a result of his actions. Scripture is very clear that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and that "the wages of sin is death." According to God's justice, all people deserve damnation.

Thankfully, God provided a way of atonement for those who believe.