Rise Up: Rise Out Of The Box: Genesis 4:1-12

 

 

In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Genesis 4:3-5 (NIV)

It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.
Hebrews 11:4 (NLT)

2 Heart Check Questions…

1. Am I giving when God wants me to give?

2. Am I giving what God wants me to give?

A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.
Leviticus 27:30 (NIV)

For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Romans 11:16 (NKJV)

Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned.
1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (NIV)

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6-7 (NIV)

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.
Genesis 4:8-12 (NIV)

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Proverbs 3:9-10 (NIV)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/rise-up-rise-out-of-the-box-genesis-41-12/

Rise Up: Rise Momma Rise: Deuteronomy 6:1-25

 

1. Love Momma Love

“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts…”
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (CSB)

2. Teach Momma Teach

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (CSB)

3.  Focus Momma Focus    

Fear the Lord your God, worship him, and take your oaths in his name.14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you…
Deuteronomy 6:13-14 (CSB)

4.  Answer Momma Answer

When your son asks you in the future, ‘What is the meaning of the decrees, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ tell him, ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand.  Before our eyes the Lord inflicted great and devastating signs and wonders on Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his household, but he brought us from there in order to lead us in and give us the land that he swore to our fathers.  The Lord commanded us to follow all these statutes and to fear the Lord our God for our prosperity always and for our preservation, as it is today.  Righteousness will be ours if we are careful to follow every one of these commands before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’
Deuteronomy 6:20-25 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/rise-up-rise-momma-rise-deuteronomy-61-25/

Rise Up: Time To Prosper: 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

 

Edge Church Mission Statement: People helping people, find and follow Christ.

1. What are the core values of Edge Church?

a) Life Transformation

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:47 (NIV)

b) Levels of Excellence

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…
Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

c) Loyalty

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
Hebrews 13:17 (NLT)

And I told them of the hand of my God which had been upon me for good, and also of the words which the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
Nehemiah 2:18 (RSV)

2.  How can I “rise up” and to fulfill the vision of Edge Church?

a) What is a tithe?

A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, is the Lord’s, and is holy.
Leviticus 27:30 (TLB)

b) Why should I tithe?

Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship… Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 14:23 (NLT)

c) How do I tithe?

On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he is prospering, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.
1 Corinthians 16:2 (CSB)

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to bless you abundantly. So that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (NIV)

d) What happens when I tithe?

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/rise-up-time-to-prosper-2-corinthians-97-8/

Bridges: Crossing The Bridge Of Forgiveness: Genesis 32:9-24, 33:1-16

 

1.  Examine Prayerfully

Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me…  
Genesis 32:11 (NIV)

2.  Engage in Restoration

He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau.
Genesis 32:13 (NIV)

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. 
Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV)

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.        
2 Corinthians 5:18 (NIV)

He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my Lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’”
Genesis 32:17-18 (NIV)

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Luke 19:8 (NIV)

3.  Express Humility

He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother.
Genesis 33:3 (NIV)

4.  Expect Positive Results

But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him.  And the wept.
Genesis 33:4 (NIV)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/bridges-crossing-the-bridge-of-forgiveness-genesis-329-24-331-16/

Bridges: The Bridge To Life: John 14:6

 

SIN – ACKNOWLEDGE MY SIN

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…
Romans 3:23 (NIV)

TRUTH – ADMIT I NEED JESUS

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 (NLT)

For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus…
1 Timothy 2:5 (CSB)

ENTRUST – MY LIFE AND FUTURE TO JESUS

But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Acts 2:21 (NIV)

PEACE – MAKE MY PEACE WITH GOD

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace[a] with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Romans 5:1 (NLT)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/bridges-the-bridge-to-life-john-146/

No Strings Attached: I Will Overcome: 1 John 5:1-5

 

I Will Overcome By…

1.  Believing In Jesus

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him…because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world.  This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.  Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:1-5 (CSB)

2. Loving Others

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him.  This is how we know that we love God’s children… 
1 John 5:1-2 (CSB)

3. Obeying God’s Commands

This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey his commands.  For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden. 
1 John 5:2-3 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/no-strings-attached-i-will-overcome-1-john-51-5/

No Strings Attached: The Flow Of God’s Love: 1 John 4:8-12

 

1.  God’s Love Flows To Me

The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.  Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:8-10 (CSB)

…I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.
Jeremiah 31:3 (CSB)

2.  God’s Love Flows Through Me 

Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7 (CSB)

Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God.  If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:11-12 (CSB)

source https://edgechurchcolorado.com/no-strings-attached-the-flow-of-gods-love-1-john-48-12/