Be Real

Victoria Osteen @ Lakewood Church

• The moment you pray, the tide of the battle begins to turn.
• Put a date on your prayer to remind yourself that God is working in your life.
• The work of a believer is to believe.
• Part of believing is trusting God.
• Doubt takes your emotions all over the place and causes you to be all over the place.
• James 1:6
• ...when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind;
• Feed your faith.
• What ever you feed is going to grow. If you feed your faith, your faith is going to grow. Doubt wants to take over and if you continue to feed it.
• The word is your food.
• Hebrews 4:12
• For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church

• It's easy to go through life wearing a mask.
• Some people have a mask for every situation: work, church, this friend, etc...
• In order to get well, you have to get real. Take that mask off and get honest with yourself.
• When you're honest, you open the door for God to come in.
• Your inner life is more important that your outer life.
• Matthew 6:5-15
• 5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
• Matthew 5:8
• Blessed are the pure at heart.
• Facing truth can be uncomfortable.
• Look inside and get honest so that you can overcome the things that are holding you back.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2
• We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
• Prodigal Son
• Luke 15:17 When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!
• He came to his senses and went back home.
• Luke 15: 18-20
• I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
• His father was looking for him.
• His father came running to him.
• His father restored him.
• David & Bathsheba
• For a year David was miserable. Until he finally took off the mask.
• Psalm 51:5-10
• Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
• The first step of recovery is to admit it.
• You can't pretend and have God's provision at the same time.
• God isn't holding any mistakes against you.
• The price has already been paid.
• Sometimes we're more concerned about what people are going to think than what God thinks.
• Everyone is struggling with something, there are no perfect people.
• James 5:16
• Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
• 2 Corinthians 3:18
• But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
• You can't see God if you don't take off the mask
• God doesn't change you from shame to glory, but from glory to glory.
• Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
• Luke 19:1-10
• Tax collectors were notorious sinners.
• He climbed a tree to make up for his weakness, being short.
• Jesus called him by name.
• God knows who you really are.
• Zacchaeus had to come down from the tree to let Jesus into his house.
• The people who get the help are the people who are real.

It's Your Heart That Matters

We don't have to have be perfect for God to use us.

• For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war."
• 2 Chronicles 16:9

You may make mistakes but God is looking on the inside.

• Eg. Pharisees
• "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.
• Matthew 23:27

Even if I don't feel like I'm measuring up,  I'm in a state of glory!

• But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18

• God doesn't expect us to be perfect but he does expect us to keep trying.,
• Stop taking inventory of all of your faults.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. Ephesians 6:14

• God can approve you without approving of your behavior.
• Your value comes from your who not your do. Your do has been set by the creator of the universe.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."Jeremiah 1:5

• Don't let guilt and condemnation keep you from your destiny. God is not focused on my mistakes.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you James 1:5

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:47

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8