{"id":1393,"date":"2014-04-06T21:40:36","date_gmt":"2014-04-07T01:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=1393"},"modified":"2014-05-08T16:14:54","modified_gmt":"2014-05-08T20:14:54","slug":"fruitful-living-5-of-5-extravagant-generosity-4614","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmanumc.org\/wp\/?p=1393","title":{"rendered":"Fruitful Living (5 of 5): Extravagant Generosity (4\/6\/14)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The sermon on Sunday April 6 introduced practice #5 of our five part series on the “Five Practices of Fruitful Living”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 During this season of Lent, we are following the companion devotional guide by Robert Schanase entitled in \u201cForty Days of Fruitful Living.\u201d<\/em> The sermons introduce the week\u2019s topic, and we discuss and study these topics during our small group meetings that\u00a0 week.\u00a0 This week’s sermon is the final in the series.<\/span>
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The Five Practices of Fruitful Living <\/span><\/p>\n
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  1. Radical Hospitality <\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Passionate Worship <\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Intentional Faith Development <\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Risk Taking Mission and Service <\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Extravagant Generosity <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    By intentionally making the effort and paying the attention required to follow each of these disciplines, we can grow closer to Christ.\u00a0 Ignoring practices like these, or just drifting along on auto pilot, will lead to a stagnant life with little\u00a0 growth.<\/div><\/div><\/span><\/p>\n

    Extravagant Generosity<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Pastor Larry preached the final part of this series on Sunday April 6.\u00a0 The text for his message was from 2 Corinthians 8:1-15<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Extravagant Generosity isn’t simply about “giving more money.”\u00a0 Extravagance means that you have an attitude of giving that’s unexpectedly joyous.\u00a0 It flows from who our are.\u00a0 It’s not something\u00a0 that comes out of duty or habit or if simply “pitching in to do your part.”<\/span><\/p>\n

    Martin Luther said that Christians\u00a0 need three conversions:<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. Conversion of the Mind.<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Conversion of the Heart.<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Conversion of the Purse.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Converting the hold\u00a0 on our purse strings doesn’t happen until we allow the Spirit to convert our heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Pastor Larry organized his sermon using the Achrostic HELP.\u00a0 Open each tab to learn more…<\/span><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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