Sermon Don't Get Lost in the Smoke

Don’t get Lost in the Smoke 3/1/2026 In person service 

Purpose of the message: To encourage believers to release control of their lives to GOD, to stop living for the temporary and reach for the eternal.

Scriptures: Hebrews 11:6-7 11:6. Real fellowship with God cannot exist without faith. Two convictions must characterize the lives of believers. First, they must believe that he exists. Anyone wanting to commune with God must have the deep conviction that God is real. Second, God’s servants must believe that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Faith is not selfish; rather, faith has confidence in a God of love and goodness. These two convictions must provide a bedrock foundation for the lives of Christians. It would be foolish to look for a God who does not exist or for one who—if he did exist—would punish you if you found him. 

11:7. Noah (Gen. 6–9) showed his faith in response to a specific warning from God. He took the warning to heart, built an ark, and saved his family. Noah’s act of building the ark condemned the scoffing unbelief of his generation and provided visible evidence that Noah believed God. Noah’s contemporaries must have been merciless in their ridicule of this “foolish” man who was building an ark so far inland. In building the ark, Noah became an heir of faith righteousness, a theme echoing Paul’s discussion of the subject (Rom. 9:30; 10:6). 

 Gensis 6:6-11 -Noah was faithful in faithless times 

 Luke 17:26–27 The days of Jesus return will be like the days of Noah Matthew 24:9–13 Times are going to get bad 

Colossians 3:2–7 We must find the meaning of Life in the Spiritual things of Jesus Christ Matthew 6:34-Stop Worrying and trust Jesus 

 2 Timothy 2:3–4- Don’t get lost in the smoke fight the good fight Romans 8:6–9 Elevate your thinking  

Matthew 10:39 It’s time to let go and let GOD •

Life is a vapor (James 4:14)—this life is brief, and its true meaning is found in what carries into eternity. 

• Near-death experiences often lead people to live with greater eternal seriousness. 

• Jesus offers abundant life, yet we miss it by focusing solely on temporal concerns. 

• We try to control outcomes, but true surrender to God is the goal—He leads. 

• Sifting processes are allowed by God to move us from self-reliance to dependence on Him. 

• We don’t know tomorrow, but faith means trusting the One who does. 

• Change perspective: stop living for the temporary and start living for eternity. 

• Worldly distractions—politics, affairs—can obscure God’s presence. We must let go of earthly entanglements. 

• Spiritual reality is often unseen—scripture affirms that the eternal is beyond the visible. 

• The carnal mind cannot please God—good works without heart alignment are meaningless. 

• Good works should flow from love for God, not to impress Him—otherwise, they don’t count for eternity. • Seek things above, not things on earth—get out of the “smoke” of the temporal and fix your eyes on eternity

https://vimeo.com/1169220036/987d2b5d60

Sin (Missing the Mark)

Sin (Missing the Mark of God)

 

Prayer

Opening Scripture, Matthew 6:24

What is the Bible (Book)

66 Books

Over 40 Authors  1500 Years  Same Story

How many books in the Old Testament?

How many books in the New Testament?

 

What are five things that are needed to study the bible

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

What did we call the 4 P’s when you Study

1.

2.

3.

4.

Repentance A change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin.

- To Turn From~ wrong actions

 

Remission of Sins: REMISSION Release, forgiveness. RSV used “remission” only in the sense of refraining from exacting a tax (Esther 2:18). Other modern translations avoided the term. KJV frequently used the expression, “remission of sins,” to mean release from the guilt or penalty of sins. Modern translations generally substitute the term “forgiveness.” With the exception of Rom. 3:25, the underlying Greek term is aphesis. Remission of sins is often linked with repentance, both in the preaching of John the Baptist (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3) and the early church (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; 5:31). Remission of sins results from Christ’s sacrificial death24:47; Acts 2:38; 5:31). Remission of sins results from Christ’s sacrificial death

 

 

 

What is Sin?

Your definition

 

Definition 1

 

Definition 2

Synonyms

 

What are somethings that are not considered Sins today by society but are biblically considered sin?

 

What is the first use of the Word sin in the bible?

What was the first sin in the Bible?

 

Why do you think it is important that we identify the things that God considers Sin

 

What are some of the ways people responded to Sin?

 

 

 

 

What are some Scriptures in which you see Sin mentioned?

Bible Study lesson 6 and 7

Home Work for Basic Bible Study Lesson 6 Deeper Dive in Repentance

 

Lets Start again with the Definition of Repentance:

 

Steps or parts of repentance

1.     Confession- The practice of admitting one’s faults and sins to God and the ones that you have sinned against (if still in relationship with them)

2.     Accepting what’s due to you. Confession does not mean you will not be punished, if you are truly Godly Sorry you will be willing to accept whatever comes if God does not block it.

3.     Turn away from the Sin

4.     Turn to God

5.     Break the relationship you have with the Sin

 

What did you need or have to  Repentance from in your life? ( Will not be asked to Share)

 

Did you truly Repent ( look at the definition above)

 

What strongholds have you faced in your life?

Lets Read 2 Samuel 11:1-27

Look up any words that you do not understand

Who and What was Nathan- Please give supporting scriptures for your answer?

1.     What did David do wrong in Verse 1?

 

2.     What does that teach you about being where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there?

 

3.     Looking at Verse 2 why do you think David was able to see here?                                                   What should he had done?

 

4.     What did he do?

 

5.     How many times have you enquired when you should have turned away

 

6.     What Ways did David try to cover up his sin (Please write down the Scriptures

 

7.     How was Uriah more honorable than David

 

8.     Did David seem Repent in 2 Samuel 11

 

9.     If the wages of Sin is Death( how was this Sin Deadly in this chapter)

 

10.  How did hiding sin prove to be dangerous for David?

 

11.  What affects have you felt from hiding your sins?

 

 

Lesson 7 David Repents

Let’s Read 2 Samuel 12 Please look up any words that you do not understand

Lets look to see the steps of Repentance

1.     Confession- What verse did David Acknowledge his sins

 

2.     What should his punishment have been? Give the Scripture

 

3.     What Punishment did he receive?  Give The Scripture?

 

4.     How did David Deal with his Punishment?

 

5.     How did he turn from his sin? Compare 2 Samuel 11:1-3 and 2 Samuel 12:28-31

 

6.     What can you learn from David’s Sin

 

7.     God loved David so why do you think he still punished David

 

8.     If  God Punished David for Sin what do you think he will do when you and I sin?

 

9.     How many lives were lost because of David’s Sins?

 

10.  Why do you think God puts things like this in the Bible?