Tearing down the walls

Tearing down the walls

 

As I have read about revivals and renewals in history I have understood their uniqueness and the purpose of their time and place…

I am trying to understand what made them work and what made them fail or end

Some ended because it was time for them to end but others ended or failed because of human mishandling of the things of God

I know the Lord is doing a very gentle sweet thing here and I don’t know where it is going to lead but my heart burns to see this region, our state, our nation, and the world on fire for the Lord…not just saved but discipled and growing to impact the lives of others.

 

We have begun by being open to Him in every way that we know how Biblically

 

We have moved to a place of humbling ourselves, putting the Lord first in a heart of fasting…I believe I have two keys that will prepare us for whatever is next with the Lord…this week I want to talk about one

 

Tearing down the walls

 

Our culture has tons of walls built up to separate people from one another and we have to begin by tearing down those walls in this church.

 

We have walls of gender, race, impossibility, sin, and the presence of God

 

I know I have recently preached about this story but I need to revisit it from this perspective today because Jesus deals with these walls

 

John 4:6-9

Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

 

Gender

 

Women at this time were considered less than ½ of the value of a man at times women in our culture feel that way

Women are not less then men and men are not greater than women we have different roles to function in and are called to function in those roles

None of us had anything to do with whether we were born male or female but we certainly have everything to do with whether or we shine with the character of God.

 

God’s character requires us to

– value one another as gifts from God

– honor one another

– challenge one another to growth

 

Young men need to learn respect for women from a young age

 

Gentlemen these are our sisters in Christ and we will answer to our Father for the way that we treat them.

 

The weakest whimp in the world is the one who verbally, emotionally or physically abuses a woman. No Man of God would ever do that!

On the flip side ladies, not every man is the one that jerked you around, not every man desires to hurt you or abuse you…please be careful in your relationships with men but please don’t treat us all like we are abusers…find some real men of God and women of God and allow them to help you to learn to trust again.

God created both sexes for different roles and different reasons and he created them perfectly in those roles don’t belittle either role either sex we are all created in the image of God.

In this short passage we see that Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman and he addressed her with courtesy saying “please” in this culture that was not necessary he was a man and a Jew he could have demanded the water but he went the extra mile to honor her as a woman and then as a person of a different race

 

Racism and Cultural differences

While Jesus and the woman were both Israelites the Samaritans are half African (Egyptian) as they are the descendants of Joseph and of a different culture completely.

We need to be careful to not dishonor each other’s culture we spend too much time talking about “them” or “those people” when in the church the only people we should be titling as “them” or “those people” if any at all should be those who don’t know Jesus yet.

We are all learning to walk in God’s grace and mercy, our cultures are different and some things we can appreciate and others things are OK to just be different. We don’t all have to enjoy all of our cultural differences to be in unity but we need to be aware that we are not to be critics of the cultural differences…Biblical differences yes, in love, but cultural differences no! Cultural differences are just different.

On the flip side, we can’t raise any of our cultural things above Christ. We can be loud or quiet, we can eat all kinds of different foods, and like different styles of music but none of these to be raised above the name of Jesus we can not allow our cultural difference to keep us from unity in Christ

 

Jesus put it this way Matthew 5:46-48

If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

 

We are to tear down walls by love even with people with whom we feel we have nothing in common.

 

One of our greatest challenges in our culture even as a church is to believe for the impossible

 

John 4:10-15

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

 

Too often we get caught up in the immediate and miss the eternal.

 

The woman was wanting the embarrassment and hard work of fetching water in the afternoon to end but Jesus wanted to give her what she really wanted…freedom from guilt and shame and a relationship with God.

 

As I mentioned last week we need to begin believing God for bigger things and expect what really is our heart’s desire rather than settling for the crumbs from the table.

 

When we grasp that God really loves us and it is a real love, not an ethereal one, then we can believe for the impossible

 

– the healing we need

– the job we need

– opportunities we need

– salvation and freedom for our family members

– peace, love, joy we need

 

Mark 10:27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

Let’s tear down the wall

Sin

John 4: 15-18

“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”

 

Jesus is wise here…he doesn’t start out and accusing her of being a sinner but instead helps her to see the damage her sin has done to her. She is without a husband she begins to feel the weight of what sin has done to her life

 

God is calling us to tear down the walls of sin. Let me try to do a Jesus here.

 

In all of your decisions, actions, and speech today did you act like Jesus?

We like to point out the big thing, lying, cheating, prejudice, stealing, drugs, alcohol abuse…but we have to stop sinning, in general, the idea of just getting away with stuff steals from us a deep, powerful relationship with the Lord that robs us of peace, joy, contentment, love, wisdom, grace and so much more.

Think before you speak, act, or decide is this something I would do, say or decide if Jesus were right here, right now

 

Proverbs 28:13

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

 

1 John 1:7-9

But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

 

Let’s tear down this wall of sin…the time of games are over

 

Presence of God

 

John 4:19,20,24

“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

 

This may be the toughest wall of all

 

We depend so much on the right atmosphere, the quiet devotional time, or the perfect song, or the most dynamic preaching because we choose to build a wall of emotion around our worship

 

Jesus told the woman that God can’t be contained in a building or location he is everywhere…but He is deeply personal and must be related to not by mere emotion alone but reason, intellect, will and must depend on the depth of your intimate personal truth with Him.

 

We have to tear down the wall that says god can’t be here or there and it takes this or that for him to show up…we must begin to expect that wherever we are, He is there, in whatever situation we find ourselves He is there and even if our emotions are not there He is there we must worship him not based on our feelings but instead based on the knowledge of our intimacy with him

 

Let’s tear down this wall

 

What walls need to come down in your life today…God wants to move in great ways through you but if you insist to keep these walls up you will miss out on all God has for you

 

Do you have an attitude about the opposite sex that must be healed?

Do you have an attitude about some other culture or race

Have you given up on your dreams or seeing the impossible become real?

Are you comfortable in your sin? Are you tolerating your own sin rather than living completely for Jesus?

Do you live in the presence of God or does it need to happen to you?

 

Can we please tear down these walls and allow the Lord to build us back up?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wrapping up the Christmas story…What Child is this?

 

Isaiah 9:6 answers that question for us

 

….And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

If we understand even this verse it changes our view of Jesus immensely.

 

He is wonderful – we take this word to mean something somewhat normal, as when we say, “that meal was wonderful, this gift is just wonderful,” but in this context and in the Hebrew it means so much more.

 

Isaiah is telling us that Jesus is…

 

– incomprehensible

– filling us with “awe” in every way

– beyond any words or action, our human tongues could describe

 

How is this a blessing to us?

 

Isaiah is prophetically saying “don’t put God into a box,” you think He can only do this or that, there is no limit to what He is and what He can do. If we will let Him He will blow your mind every time. He can and will accomplish for us things that are beyond words.

 

He raises the dead, feeds thousands with a few loaves and fish,

 

Ephesians 3:20

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

 

Counselor – were portrayed as wise Kings such as Solomon they could guide their people into freedom and wholeness

 

Isaiah is prophesying that Jesus will give us all the wisdom, guidance and understanding that we need to not only make it through the day but have great success for a lifetime

 

Colossians 2:3 tells us this

“in whom (in Christ) are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

 

There is never any reason for us to fail for the long term because he will give us the wisdom we need…just a little hint you will have failings on the short term if not you are probably not walking by faith…you are too comfortable or too safe

 

Our wonderful counselor is there to always give us the wisdom we need even when we fail or even if we blow it and go against Him

 

The entire Old Testament is replete with stories of Israel failing God, them repenting then God working it all out for their good even punishing those who hurt them while they were walking in rebellion.

 

Hebrews 4:15,16 shows us that He truly understand what we are going through and longs to help us through and out of it.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Our counselor guides us always if we are willing to listen and guides us through the fruit of our failures when we have blown it. He has already judged this world and has chosen us to bring the light of hope of what we have learned to bring others to freedom.

 

Mighty God –

 

First we have to recognize Isaiah is saying without a doubt that Jesus is God…not a God as Jehovah’s witnesses, and new age philosophers would like us to believe but truly equal with God in every way unlike what Mormons, Muslims and others would have us believe.

 

The Hebrew word for God here means simply “God”

 

John 10:30 I and My Father are one.”

John 8:58 “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

 

The use of the phrase “I am” is saying He is God, “I am” is God’s name

 

Isaiah using the word “mighty” is simply saying Jesus is powerful and strong but the intensive form of the word is used here meaning he is more powerful and stronger than anything period. There is nothing more powerful or stronger than Him.

 

He is the greatest fighter and he can not be defeated

 

To us this child is God and we have a personal and intimate relationship with Him who always was and will be, the one who created everything and there is nothing that you will face that he can not defeat and overcome…if you will allow Him!

 

Everlasting Father – Jesus as the Father? While they indeed are one this verse is not taking away from Father-God it is merely stating some attributes of Christ that we need to understand

 

– He is forever…he was in the beginning and will be in the end

 

John 1:1-4,14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

He possesses the heart of the Father he will always protect and provide for His Children and enable them to grow. As any good Father does

 

He will love, protect, and provide for us without end!

 

For us, it means we can depend upon Him forever to supply what we need as long as we allow Him to

 

 

Prince of peace – in a world of chaos and war it doesn’t seem as if this is true until you understand what this means

 

His being our prince of peace means he is the one who brings us restoration with God

 

Remember this passage John 14:27,28

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

 

He is the prince of peace over you and I and anyone submitted to Christ.

 

– He will deliver us through the storms and floods

– He will give us strength and peace through everything and anything the world and this world system can throw at us

– Your peace is inside of you not based on external circumstances

 

This peace is a contentment, a unity with the family of God, and understanding of God’s divine purpose and most of all a resting and trusting on the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit in your life daily!

 

This world system is a failure there is no hope for it. We are to expect trials and tribulation Jesus told us to, John 16:33, Paul told us to, Romans 5:3-5, James told us to, James 1:2 but

 

No matter what we face we have the wonderful, counselor, mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace with us and for us…He wants us to bring the light, the freedom, the joy, and the love that we know to a world void of all of this

 

Philippians 4:6,7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

God has not only got every problem you may face and your entire future in His hands

 

He is

– more than you can imagine

– has all the wisdom you need

– is God in every sense of the word

– more powerful than you can imagine

– your protector and provider always

– your contentment always

 

This is why we need to pray and fast so we can grasp all the Lord has for us we need to understand we need this power, strength

 

 

 

 

What Child is this? Part 4

What Child is this? Part 4 The most wonderous miracle

 

When we sing the song “what Child is this? All the characters of the story have some kind of mention but one….Joseph

 

In Joseph we see reflected something wonderful and unique that the world had never known before

 

Let’s look at his story

 

Matthew 1:18-25

 

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. 20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

 

We don’t hear much about Joseph we see his character here…a man of integrity even though his world has been destroyed, his reputation assassinated he still loved and was willing to lay down his life for a woman who he thought had betrayed his love and trust

 

We see Christ reflected in this action in this heart…how often do we break the Father’s trust we sin we blow it, we choose to not trust God but he continues to love just the same

 

This is one of the areas the devil beats us up about often we feel we have blown it and God won’t love us or get us through it but in Joseph we see the love, care and compassion of our heavenly Father revealed

 

Lets Hear from Joseph himself*********

 

Integrity – simply believing God at his word and living it…something we need more of…he have the advantage of knowing all of the stories…we Know the way it will turn out Joseph didn’t but he trusted the Lord with all of his heart mind and soul

 

He had to put up with a lot. The religious leaders in n effort to tear down the authority of Jesus thought Jesus was an illegitimate baby….when Jesus had a confrontation with the Pharisee in John 8 he said You do the deeds of your father.” Their immediate response was telling of what the people believed about Jesus

Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”

 

They were still believing Jesus to have been born of illegitimate means.

 

Can you imagine how Joseph must have felt knowing that this is what Religious leaders actually believed?

 

We know Joseph came to the temple looking for Jesus

 

Luke 2:48

So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

 

Jesus was known as Joseph’s son to the people in the community

 

John 1:43-45

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

 

John 6:41,42

The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

 

I know you are saying… “enough already about Joseph being recognized as Jesus Father”

 

  • we have to understand God wanted it that way, remember what the angel said to Joseph Matthew 1:21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”….The naming of the child was the job of the Father…God through his proxy the angel was telling Joseph you will be my sons Father
  • In the tradition of the Jews, when Jesus was born, Joseph would have taken him and laid him across his lap signifying he was recognizing this boy as his son
  • Everyone but the religious leaders calling him the son of Joseph

 

This is all very significant because it shows us through the eyes of Joseph the love and power of adoption.

 

God wanted a family so he sowed a seed of a son into the world…he prophetically showed us through Joseph the acceptance and love of a son of adoption

 

Paul explains this in Romans 8:15-17

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,

 

Then again in Galatians 4:4-7

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

 

Why is this adoption thing so significant? Paul was writing to an audience under Roman rule. They understood the power and impact of adoption the power we see prophetically through Joseph of what Jesus did for us.

 

What child is this? The one who made it possible for our adoption Here is what that means

 

There were four main consequences of adoption four separate things that have real meaning for us today

 

  • The adopted person lost all rights to his old family, and gained all the rights of a fully legitimate son in his new family.  In the most literal sense, and in the most legally binding way, he got a new father.

 

– Because of Jesus, the rights of our old family; the world, the flesh, and the devil, have been broken….please hear this when we came to Christ and received Him fully every legitimate right the enemy had over us was broken, dissolved, destroyed…your old Father the devil has no right in your life your new Father God is legally and bindingly your Father

 

 

  • It followed that he became heir to his new Father’s estate.  Even if other sons were afterward born, who were real blood relations, it did not affect his rights. He was inalienably co-heir with them.

 

– Paul calls us Joint-heirs with Christ. A joint heir is given equal parts of the inheritance. Here is what we need to get everything that Jesus has access to we too have been given access to…we have an inheritance that is beyond measure

 

  • In law, the old life of the adopted person was completely wiped out.  For instance, legally all debts were canceled; they were wiped out as though they had never been.  The adopted person was regarded as a new person entering into a new life with which the past had nothing to do.

 

Everything from your old life, prior to Christ, no longer exist you have been set free from the weight of sin debt…you are no longer the person you were…you were granted freedom from everything that had hold of you from your pre-Christ life…nothing of what you were prior to Christ matters you have been adopted as a new child of the King

 

  • In the eyes of the law, the adopted person was literally and absolutely the son of the new father.

 

There is a legal and binding covenant between you and God…everything that is His is now yours

 

Do you understand all that this means? I am still learning

 

You may say if this is all true why do I feel the way I do? Why am I in such bondage? Why am I living so far below my own expectations let alone God’s expectations

 

It is a matter of application… if you were given 10 million dollars but you never received it because you simply ignored or rejected it you will still be the owner of 10 million dollars but it is useless to you because you aren’t making it part of your life

 

Joseph prophetically has shown us that we have been adopted into a great kingdom run by a King who is our Father…he has all the power we need but we must choose to accept it.

 

This child in the manager made it all possible for us!

 

What a most wondrous miracle that we were born slaves and have now become royalty joint heirs in the Kingdom with Jesus

 

 

 

 

 

What Child is this? Part 3 Mary

Fast 21-day

Christmas Eve Services and offering

 

What Child is this Part 3 – Mary

 

In the song, it goes like this

 

“What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?”

 

We saw the prophetic importance of the shepherd’s story two weeks ago, last week the wise men, and this week Mary’s story here is where it begins

 

Luke 1:26-38

Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom, there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

 

Great story think about the practicality

– small village where everyone knew everyone else – gossip central

– Had a pre-arranged marriage with Joseph her dream and his

– could have cost her, her life

– this would have been a mark against her whole family not just her

– who would believe her?

 

To Mary that day, this baby was merely going to be her child a miraculous one, one she could not fully understand, but her child all the same

What do we know about Mary that also reflects the nature of Christ?

  1. From this passage, we see she was committed to God so much so of all the women in Israel she was the one who “found favor with God.

Jesus – Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

 

– This child, like us understands growing pains, understands the difficulty of growing up and going through stuff. Sometimes it is hard for children to relate to God but our God grew up going through all of the things we have gone through and understands

 

2) She was a woman of integrity wanting only to honor God – “How can this be I have not known a man”

Jesus – Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

– This child grew so much so and went through so much that he was tempted in every way like we are. He understands what you are going through the fears, struggles, concerns, misunderstanding he understands completely all of our weaknesses and overcame them maintaining his integrity

 

3) She was a humble servant – “Let it be according to your word”

Jesus – Philippians 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

– This child is so humble that He was willing to lay down His own life for ours how much more do you think he will do whatever it takes to reach you where you are going through whatever you are facing

 

As we look at this child through the eyes of Mary this week…there is another aspect of God’s nature I want us to understand

 

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them

 

Many of the things we attribute culturally to women are really a reflection of God

 

This is extremely important in our age because so many cannot relate to a loving Father, they have suffered abuse at the hands of a Father or other male role model and assume that is all there is to our Father but even though He is our Father, He is our protector, defender, provider, guide he loves nurtures and cares better than any mother ever could.

 

Scripture verses about what our culture would call the “feminine nature of God”

 

 

 

  • God comforts his people like a mother comforts her child (Isaiah 66:13)
  • Like a woman would never forget her nursing child, God will not forget his children (Isaiah 49:15)
  • God is like a mother eagle hovering over her young (Deuteronomy 32:11)
  • God seeks the lost like a housekeeper, trying to find her lost coin (Luke 15:8-10)
  • God cares for his people like a midwife that cares for the child she just delivered (Ps 22:9-10, Ps 71:6, Isa 66:9)
  • God experiences the fury of a mother bear robbed of her cubs (Hosea 13:8)
  • Jesus revealed this heart in many ways with his care and compassion for people and we see it very clearly in Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”

 

It is important that we understand that all of the nurturing, compassion, love and care that is intrinsic in most Mother’s comes naturally from the Father

 

Today if you struggle with the idea of God as “father” because your Father was not very loving or compassionate, you can see that every mother gets her ability to nurture, love and care from God as well…let Him heal you and show that part of who he is to you

 

Last but not least the greatest way we see Jesus through Mary is she willingly gave up her life to do the Father’s will

 

Jesus lived doing the Father’s will…

 

– he did only that which he saw the Father doing John 5:19

– He was such a reflection of the Father that when asked “show us the Father he said you see him when you see me John 14:9,10

– In Gethsemane, he made the ultimate decision to reflect the Father

not my will but yours be done Luke 22:42

 

What child is this?

 

Today he reveals to us the tender nature and nurturing side of the Father through a Mother’s heart

 

All of your brokenness he wants to heal

Every tear and wound he wants to wipe away

Every bit of encouragement that you need

 

He reveals to us to be a true Christ-follower you must be willing to lay down your life, your agenda, your future for Him

 

In order to win, to overcome, to be a success in this life…His dreams for you are bigger than you could ever imagine

 

You need to be willing to say, as Mary did “whatever you want Lord” and as Jesus did “not my will but yours”

 

Exchange the best you can do for the best He can do through you today!

 

 

What Child is this? Part 2 Wise men

What Child is this? Part 2 Wise men

 

Once again the Famous Christmas Carol tells the story. Although wise men or magi specifically are not mentioned as characters in the carol, their actions of worship and generosity lead the lyrics of the third stanza.

 

“So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh…”

 

Here is the scripture Matthew 2: 1-12

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

 

As we look at the wise men today I want us to see why God had wise men come.

 

Lets look at the wise men a bit. Have you ever wondered where they came from Matthew reports that they were from the east. To the Jews anything beyond the Jordan river was considered the east but their gifts tell us most likely where they came from and then the scripture prophesied where they came from.

 

The gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

 

Gold was found on the Arab peninsula according to scripture 1 Kings 9:28; 10:2; 1 Chronicles 29:3-4; Job 28:16

 

However more of an indicator of where these men may have come from is in the other two gifts: Frankincense and Myrrh are both harvested from trees grown mainly on the Arab peninsula.

 

Still more importantly to understanding the origin of these men is the prophecy in Isaiah 60 1-6

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. 6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord

 

Let’s here from one of them today

 

This prophecy about Christ’s birth talks about camels coming from Midian, Ephah and Sheba all areas on the Arabian peninsula.

 

“They shall bring gold and incense”

The birth of Christ brought Isaac and Ishmael together. Isaac being represented by Mary and Joseph and Ishmael by the wise men sons of Arabia

The wise men show us that the messiah was not just for the Jews but for the whole world…”the gentiles will come to your light”

 

What child is this?

 

The wise men story is a prophetic one for us I want us to look at their story from this perspective today

 

First the wise men indicate to us that God does love the whole world

 

so much that he spoke to Gentiles (anyone that is not jewish).

We need to always understand the Lord is always reaching out to us.

 

Jeremiah 31:3 tells us

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

 

He came after you….

 

Romans 5:8-10

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

 

Jesus was born, lived, died on a cross then rose again so we might have relationship with God reconciled

 

Reconciled means a debt was owned…because of our sin, our rejection of God in fact Paul states that as long as we don’t accept God’s gift of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross we were enemies of God…we owed a debt because of our sin but Jesus came after us by dying on the cross he paid that debt for us so we could be reconciled (our debt of sin totally paid)

 

Second they followed a star

 

Have you ever thought why was a star important? Of course it is magnificent and majestic and what better way to proclaim the birth of a King but let me share something that is very important for us to grasp about God’s great love.

 

I share with people all of the time God knows them…he knew the wise men, he knew how to reach them, he knew what they would be looking for…he cared about these particular wise men

He knows how to reach you

He created you and every one you know in a very special way so He knows what will reach you

 

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;

 

He formed you, your family members and friends and He knows what will reach them…you are sitting here today because He knew how to reach you and he loves your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers just as much

He knows you…exactly…he knows your heart, your joy, your pain, nothing escapes Him

 

Luke 12:7

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

 

That is pretty intimate

 

Don’t give up on anyone trust that the Lord did create them and with that a way to reach them with His love which kind of leads me to my next point

 

Third he even reached out to the most hardened desiring even for them to repent

 

Matthew 2:3

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

 

Herod was a political hack. We was not for the Jews or the romans but for himself. He was an egomaniac and a narcissist. He had no faith but in God’s grace and mercy he sent the wise men to him

 

This is another reason God chose the wise men they would have the freedom to get an audience with the King.

 

Think how much planning God put into reaching out to Herod

 

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

 

The wise men reveal God’s loving nature and character for even the most despicable

 

I don’t care if you like our president or not but God loves him I don’t care if you like Chuck Schumer or Nancy Pelosi or not God loves and wants to reach them to for us to have hatred for anyone violates what Christ did on the cross. We can hate what they do, the decisions they make that are ungodly but we pray for and believe for the person.

 

If God would send these wise men to Herod we get a better understand of Christ mission to the world and ultimately our mission to the world.

 

Last insight I want us to grasp from the wise men today is they brought gifts.

 

The wise men’s gift were practical in that Joseph could easily have used them to cover the cost of their exile into Egypt

 

Isn’t interesting how incensed people become when they reject the Gospel…immediately after the wise men left, Herod sought to kill Jesus

 

Jesus came as to bring and be a gift to us

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Galatians 1:3-5

 

“We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.” 1 John 3:16,

 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” John 14:27

 

“I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13

 

We have at our disposal everything we need because of Christ being a gift to us

 

 

Today here is what we can take away from knowing the prophetic insight of the wise men

 

  • God loves you and every person you know and wants you to know that
  • He knows you well enough that he knows how to reach you, specifically and he knows how to reach your family and friends but I want to encourage you he will show you how to do it…whatever you are going through he knows how to get you through it
  • Even those you are the most worried about or are the most grumpy in your life he wants to reach out to and he will most likely use you
  • He is a gift to you…all that you need He is there for you

 

 

What do you need today?

 

Is there someone unsaved that you are concerned about come let’s pray for them perhaps the Lord will use you and this season to reach them

 

Are you going through something that you don’t think anyone else understands? God knows and He knows exactly how to get you through it

 

Have a need that seems impossible? With God nothing is impossible!

 

 

What Child is this? Part 1

In 1865 an Englishman by the name of William Chatterton Dix penned a poem he called the Manger throne. A few years later the first three stanzas of that poem were set to the English folk tune Greensleeves and it become the popular Christmas Carol we know as What child is this?…One of my favorites because it tells the story

 

It is a question the shepherds must have asked that night and people are still asking today…many have no idea who He really is we need to be able to tell them who he really is not based on popular culture but on God’s word….We will talk about this from different perspectives of observers today we start with the shepherds

 

The story begins

 

Luke 2:8-18

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

 

Why was the story of the shepherds so important for us?

 

For many reasons

 

  • Shepherds were the common working class people of the day
  • They weren’t the most stellar of people neither the wealthiest, poorest, brightest or the most challenged, the most religious nor the least religious… they were just people
  • Mostly because they were shepherds and He was a shepherd to his people

 

John 10:11 – 15

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My sheep and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so, I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

 

He came to the shepherds because he is a good shepherd…

 

The world needs to understand He is not a God to stands off and lets things happen like a shepherd with the sheep He is involved in our lives…Jesus came in the line of another great shepherd

 

David was the shepherd King

 

Samuel was sent by God to anoint a son of Jesse as the new King of Israel after Saul had fallen out of favor with God. Jesse called all the sons that looked like they were king material but none of them were then in 1 Samuel 16: 11-13

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.

 

Scripture tells us David remained a shepherd for all of the time he was in direct service of Saul

 

Why like Jesus was it important that he be a shepherd King

 

David tells us the role of the shepherd in Psalm 23…Jesus’ role still in the world today

 

Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

Jesus is the good shepherd who provides all of our needs.

– we can be at peace never worrying about will we have enough, know enough, have wisdom enough as our shepherd he provides all we need

Psalm 23: 2

He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.

He brings us and keeps us in places of peace and rest knowing that he is our protector…we don’t need to worry about what the future holds because the future is in His hands

 

3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

– As our good shepherd, he makes sure that we have what we need to grow stronger every day…remember sheep can be lead but they must choose to eat

– As our shepherd, He through the Holy Spirit will always guide us on the right path for life and in truth. Not always the easiest path but the right path for us

 

4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

We live in a very scary time in the world. Drugs, war, terrorism, all kinds of divisions in families and communities. Jesus is still the Prince of peace and the government is still on His shoulders and he will protect and comfort all along the way if we will allow him

 

What child is this? He is the good shepherd who

 

5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

The good shepherd did this at what we call communion he placed a table between us and the enemy by his body and blood. He sent the anointing for us because he went away in Acts 2:4 He has given us the power as the good shepherd to be in His presence always

 

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

As our shepherd we have a relationship with him that stands against anything

 

He came to shepherds because he was the good shepherd

 

What child is this? He is what the world needs now

 

– provider

– bringer of peace and rest

– guide in life and truth

– peace

– protector

– filler of anointing

– eternal relationship that from His perspective never changes

 

do you know all this today?

 

Do you believe it for you today? Is there an attribute of who Christ is that you especially need today? Let us pray for you and let us show you!

 

 

 

Messes, Dirty Laundry and the Real Christian Life – Elijah

Messes, dirty laundry and the real Christian Life

Even great men and women of God had struggles and just because you struggle doesn’t mean you aren’t a real man or woman of God.

Elijah’s miracles 1 Kings 17 -19

The Lord decides to make a statement and He wants to use Elijah

1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”

2 Then the Lord said to Elijah,

3 “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River.

4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.”

5 So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan.

6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook.

Please notice, in verse one, Elijah is in the presence of the king. Imagine the palace, in the middle of the city,

He was a man that was recognized and respected.

Now, he is in hiding.

Time to rest. Time to spend Time undistracted, with the Lord.

The Lord will sometimes use the last thing that we could possibly expect to provide for us and bless us with.

7 But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.

What happens to us when God takes us to a place and then it seems like he just drops us off?

What happens, when the brook that you are relying on shuts down?

It’s not all bad when the brook dries up. It may just mean God wants to do something different with us.

God alone is the source of our provision.

A dried up brook is not the end of the plan!

He wants to provide in a different way because his plan requires us to get up and move.

8 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.”

God doesn’t send us into a situation that He has not prepared for.

10 So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.”

12 But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”

13 But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son.

14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!”

15 So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. 16 There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

To experience Gods supernatural provision requires us to have faith. Faith in Him as the source of the provision.

Faith enough to take God at his word.

Faith enough to act like what God says is true.

17 Some time later the woman’s son became sick. He grew worse and worse, and finally he died. 18 Then she said to Elijah, “O man of God, what have you done to me? Have you come here to point out my sins and kill my son?”

She let her grief blind her faith.

She lost sight of Gods Love for her.

19 But Elijah replied, “Give me your son.” And he took the child’s body from her arms, carried him up the stairs to the room where he was staying, and laid the body on his bed. 20 Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”

21 And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, “O Lord my God, please let this child’s life return to him.”

22 The Lord heard Elijah’s prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived! 23 Then Elijah brought him down from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “Look!” he said. “Your son is alive!”

24 Then the woman told Elijah, “Now I know for sure that you are a man of God, and that the Lord truly speaks through you.”

Why three times?

God is always trying to draw us near to him.

1 Kings 18

1 Later on, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!” 2 So Elijah went to appear before Ahab.

Meanwhile, the famine had become very severe in Samaria.

16 So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah.

17 When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?”

18 “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.

19 Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.”

20 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel.

21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.

22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. 23 Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. 24 Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed.

25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.”

26 So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.

27 About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!”

28 So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. 29 They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response.

30 Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.

Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.”

34 After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”

38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

40 Then Elijah commanded, “Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

As followers we have a responsibility to take inventory of our lives and identify the things that hold us back from a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Those things, have got to go!

It may take a violent purging in our lives.

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!”

42 So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.

43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.”

The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.”

Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.

44 Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”

Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”

45 And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.

46 Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.

Judah Ben-Hur Speed!!!!

1 Kings 19

1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

Some revival this has turned out to be!

Welcome to burnout!

Burnout doesn’t happened because something became old or simply because we become tired.

Burnout happens when we do things for the wrong reason.

Elijah became burned out because he was focused more on his plan of how things should turn out rather than simply following God’s plan and allowing the Lord to Author the ending.

Burnout happens when our eyes are focused on the wrong goal.

Burnout is not an issue with our situation.

Burnout is an issue with our heart.

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

This time, he did not wait to hear the voice of the Lord.

This time, he isolated himself.

4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.

7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”

Once again God provides.

The question is does Elijah even realize the blessing of God on his life enough to see this miraculous work or is he still too focused on his situation?

8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.

But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

Do you see the focus of Elijah’s heart in his reply to the Lord?

And then it goes farther and we can see that his focus is also on the people and what they are doing.

We can’t control other people, we can only control ourselves. And most of the time we are not even very good at doing that.

Our hearts and focus needs to be on the Lord, and we need to give control to him.

God met him in his despair

where he had isolated and insulated himself from everyone, felt no one cared, he was the only one, and was very afraid.

God met him in his fear, he fed him, cared for him

but didn’t push him until he was ready

Elijah complained and God answered him and helped him through his burnout, brokenness, and fear…

God meets us always when we are hurting.

He reaches down to where we are and sits with us until we are ready to hear…

He doesn’t leave us there he stays

but when He knows we are ready he speaks truth into our lives that sets us free

Burn out is only permanent if we allow it.

Take time to care for yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually…at the right time God will speak…listen then get back in the game

A call to intimacy

A call to intimacy

 

Our culture is flooded with sex after all “sex sales.” Since the sexual revolution of the late 60’s our culture has been consuming sex like food.

 

While love-making is beautiful and a gift from God… when the emphasis is on sex rather than intimacy, relationships don’t last, heartache overwhelms and brokenness is the result

 

Don’t worry today I’ve already made some of you uncomfortable with mentioning the word intimacy and then add to that I mention sex and you are really starting to squirm in your seats…I am not focusing this teaching on sex but we do need to talk about intimacy

 

It is one of the greatest missing elements in our culture today…I mentioned sex because our culture assumes sex means intimacy and it does not… that is why many relationships fall apart because they make that assumption….Although the best marriages, because of intimacy general have the best sexual relationships….OK I’ll stop making you squirm for now.

 

The dictionary defines intimacy this way

 

“a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group.” …the quality of being comfortable, warm, or familiar:

 

It is a familiar and very close affective connection with another as a result of a bond that is formed through knowledge and experience of the other.

 

Genuine intimacy in human relationships requires dialogue, transparency, vulnerability, and reciprocity. The verb “intimate” means “to state or make known”. 

 

One Christian author defines it this way Intimacy means “in-to-me-see”

 

We all crave it, that longing to connect to have someone in your life that knows you, sees you, understands you, and loves you, for who you are….once again many get off track thinking sex will do that it doesn’t

 

Jesus desires intimacy for us with the Father, the Holy Spirit and himself

 

John 17: 20:21

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

 

Jesus is praying for you and for me that we may be “one” with the Father and by implication that we may be one with each other…so that the world might see Jesus

 

Oneness is intimacy

 

It is In-to-me-see but requires dialog, transparency (honesty, truth), vulnerability (no fear, shame, guilt), reciprocity (it must be a shared experience to be real intimacy)

 

Can you imagine every relationship in this church like that? Jesus could and prays for it why so the world might be able to see Him through us

 

If you have hung around me at all you have heard me say Our priorities must be:

 

God first

spouse second

children third

what we do for God fourth and then everything else

 

God first not for the doing but for the “being” just being with Him, developing that relationship with Him where you know Him and you know He knows you (He does, even if you don’t know it)—Intimacy

 

Let’s talk about in-to-me-see

 

Before we can have any intimacy with each other to the extent God wants we must understand it with Him first

 

Dialog

 

Luke 10: 38-42

 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted by much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” 41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

 

Jesus had a deeper friendship with Mary he indeed loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus equally but His emotional response way more compounded toward Mary There was a deeper friendship because of Mary’s heart toward Jesus

 

When Martha and Mary greeted Jesus after Lazarus’ death Martha full of faith knew Jesus could do anything and told him so but when Mary greeted Jesus the emotional response was much greater there was a greater intimacy between Jesus and Mary… John 11:33

 

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.

 

“deeply moved” is a very intense emotional term it has attached to it a physical reaction to Mary’s pain

 

Their communication deeper, more honest, more open created a deeper bond with the Lord it created a deeper intimacy with Mary we also see that reflected when she washes Jesus feet (John 12, Mark 14, Matthew 26)

 

For the Lord….

 

We must spend time in prayer and the word to grow in an intimate dialog with the Lord

 

For the Lord and our church family…

 

We must learn to spend time with each other, building those relationships…if you know Jesus we are all His children…God speaks through His people and when we communicate with each other at a deeper level it is much harder to misinterpret something or have a misunderstanding…it is in a lack of communication that relationships break down and intimacy does not happen

 

Transparency –

Being honest and truthful is a very scary thing

 

Colossians 3:9

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

 

Lying is not just an act of speech but it is also can be action (acting like a Christian around Christians but like a non-Christian around others)

 

Intimacy absolutely depends upon trust…trust that a persons word is true….trust that a person is who they say they are…intimacy is limited by the trust that we walk in with God

 

I can never understand why someone is not truthful with the Lord do we think He doesn’t know our every thought

 

Do we think He doesn’t know and even understand the way that we feel

 

Sometimes we are not honest or truthful with God because we don’t realize it but if we love Him He will get through to us.

 

It is also important because God is Truth…Jesus said He is the way, truth, and the life and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth

 

John 16:13

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

 

When we walk in truth and honesty we are walking truly one with the Lord.

 

The world is not honest, it is deceptive, it lies constantly watch any of the ads, there are so many agendas out there how do you tell the truth from a lie?

 

Our intimacy with each other and the Lord is dependent on being truthful and honest and allow me to add in love because everything we do must be done in love

 

It does not mean we will always agree with one another but the world will respect us better if they know we are transparent, open and honest with each other…it is very foolish to not be open and honest with God. No one can, In-to-me-see, if we are not transparent with each other and realize God sees anyhow

 

Vulnerability

 

As I mentioned earlier it is scary to be honest and truthful it naturally makes you vulnerable….we like wearing mask that hide who we are…we like to think that people think differently about us than we really are

 

We became fearful of:

What if they don’t like me?

What if they judge me?

What if I don’t fit in?

 

God doesn’t make junk

 

Psalm 139:14,15

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

 

When we are approaching God we need to remember He made us, formed us, designed us for a unique and precious purpose that only we can fulfill.

 

He knows our every weakness and strength and accepts us that way. He knows our pain and our struggles and wants to help us through them if we will but ask, be honest that is being vulnerable.

 

He likes you and loves you

 

He will never judge you if you are coming to Him openly and honestly

Of Course, you fit in…he made you the way you are but if you are willing to be vulnerable…He will take you from where you are to be shaped and molded into His image

 

2 Corinthians 3:17,18

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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.

 

We must be vulnerable to the Lord and allow Him to eliminate all fear, guilt, shame, and blame and we must be willing to allow others into our lives too in order to allow that honesty I spoke of earlier and the vulnerability to shed our masks and perfectionism and grow closer too many times we hide from one another or the Lord when they can really be a blessing to us and help bring healing and strength.

 

The last word reciprocity

 

It means exchanging things for mutual benefit in other words develop levels of intimacy with God and He will be intimate with you…develop relationships based on intimacy and you will gain the love, trust, honesty, free of judgment relationships you long for

 

Why do we do this? What did Jesus say again?

 

that the world may believe that You sent Me.

 

If we can begin a journey of greater intimacy with God and reflect than in a great intimacy with our brothers and sisters in Christ then the world will see Jesus in a people who love each other, are open and honest with each other in a loving way, are free of guilt, condemnation and judgment with no hidden agenda just love

 

If you really want His favor one of the fastest ways to see it fall on your is to grow in your intimacy with the Father and reflect that love and acceptance in the way you treat your brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Call to faith

The call to faith

 

 

Matthew 14:22-33

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.”

 

 

I love this story but let’s look at it a little deeper today

 

When Jesus “insisted” the Greek meaning here is that he told them it was absolutely necessary for them to go across the lake without him.

 

Jesus sent them into the storm, not to be mean, but Paul explains this in James 1:3 “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

 

They had just seen Jesus feed over 15K people with a few loaves and fish (5/2)

 

Who does that?

 

It is easy for us to see something God is doing…rejoice in it, then let it become a distant memory. When God is doing something in our lives, it is not only for the moment but to impact our character and lives

 

Jesus put their faith to the test to see if they would remember Jesus as the provider and the one who cares about the daily-ness of our lives.

 

If we are able to apply the miracles we see then we grow…however in our testing we are never alone

 

Where was Jesus?

Verse 23

After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

 

He was praying for them, they were not abandoned…he sent them to grow in their faith and he stood in the gap for them…it is what he is doing for us right now

 

Romans 8:34

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

 

You are never alone…but notice Jesus is praying for them and they run into trouble

 

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

 

How do you respond when you difficulties arise in your life?

 

– Do you run from them?

– Complain about them?

– Blame others for them?

– Do you feel like a failure?

– Do you feel as if God has let you down?

 

The challenge for us is do we believe that our lives are in God’s hands?

Do you believe the disciples we actually in danger? It certainly seemed to them that they were but Jesus was praying for them and the devil and their own fleshly knowledge were trying to convince them they were going to die.

I want to challenge you today that we need to begin to believe that God is in control of our lives and He has our future in the palm of His hands…I don’t believe the disciples were in any real danger here

 

  • God’s plan for them had not been fulfilled
  • Jesus was interceding for them
  • God had provided them with an opportunity for them and Him to shine

 

Going back to Romans here is what Paul stated right after his statement about Jesus interceding for us

 

Romans 8:35, 37-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

He is speaking directly to our hearts this morning that we would begin to believe the stuff we are going through is something if placed in His hands will cause us and Him to shine! Even if we don’t have any control over it…if we will choose to believe, the Lord will take it and turn it for our good

 

Just at the right time the Lord will meet us

 

Verses 25,26

About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

 

Obviously, they hadn’t grasped the concept who Jesus was, why?

 

  • they were in their familiar element
  • they had pushed the miracle aside
  • they were afraid…stuff of life had robbed them of faith

 

We are OK with God doing miracles overseas, in other parts of the country but what about right here…with and through you?

 

Is Jesus the same yesterday today and forever? The miracles he did then he has empowered us by the Holy Spirit to do even more now

 

We can’t allow our circumstances to control us we need to be mindful of the Holy Spirit always…even if the trouble is familiar

 

Let’s wrap this up

 

About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” 32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.”

 

The problem, the struggle, the trial, the challenge is still very intense yet right in the middle of it, even though Jesus had been praying for them…he still showed up

 

Notice he showed up in a very unusual way…they had never seen anything like this before

Their deliverance did not look like a deliverance to them but instead something quite the opposite…they were afraid they were going to die to instead of seeing Jesus they saw a ghost

Jesus knew where he was going and it was the disciples choice to wallow where they were or to reach out to Him…he would not have allowed them to die as we talked about earlier (Mark tells us in 6:48 he was going to walk right by them) they could have struggled all night until morning.

How often do we struggle with things and we fight but in reality Jesus is right there maybe not as we had expected but He is there if we would only cry out to him

 

He is the person giving us advice

He is slowing us down so we can listen

He is even using someone who is not a Christian giving us wise council (Nico, Nebuchadnezzar)

He is that “check” in our spirits

There was no reason for Peter to walk on the water…except that we see God can cause anything to happen…for Jesus to walk on the water was a “duh” moment…of course, he could do it he is God but for Peter to walk on the water…This is a whole another sermon

Here is my challenge today…Peter had little faith…it wasn’t that he had no faith it was just little but notice why Jesus was being critical

He wasn’t criticizing Peter for sinking, walking on the water, for being afraid in the storm…not really it was as this translation put is

“Why did you doubt me?”

storms come, struggles come, life difficulties happen it is not the battles with those things that bother Jesus as much as “do you trust him?”

Folks in light of what happened this past week it shows us all the more that we need to walk by faith to trust Him more

– Let’s value the miracles, the everyday ones, and the fantastic ones

– Realize the stuff you are going through God has you walking through even if the devil thinks he made it happen…God is on the move in your life

– Jesus is always praying for you

– Check your attitude and your trust when you come into difficulties

– Expect God to always show up, look for Him even in the unusual

– It is Ok to be thrown off by the wind, the waves, the things life throws at you just don’t doubt Jesus…He will never fail you or let you down

 

We are not to have faith in faith but instead faith in Jesus!

 

 

 

 

 

Messes Dirty, Laundry, and the real Christian Life Part 4 Samson

Messes, Dirty Laundry, and the real Christian life Part 4

 

Hebrews 11:1-3, 32-34

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was 

formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.

 

Let’s talk about Samson

 

On one hand he…

 

Killed a lion with his bare hands Judges 14:5-9

Killed 30 Philistines 14:19

Caught 300 foxes tied their tails together and burned all the grain fields 15:4-6

Killed a bunch more Philistines 15:7,8

Escaped from ropes and killed 1000 Philistines with a donkey’s jaw bone 15:14-17

The Gate Gaza –carried a 5-10 ton gate carried it 36 miles up 3200 feet higher Judges 16:3

Escaped from bowstring, ropes, and loom Judges 16:9,12,14

3000 killed in the temple of doom 16: 28-30

 

Then on the other hand he…

 

– Disobedient to his parents

– Decides to marry and ungodly woman

– Compromised to follow the customs of the world rather than God in the wedding set up

– Has lust issues and frequented prostitutes

– Lived with Delilah

– Arrogantly assumed because God’s gifts were still on him that God was giving his approval

 

Samson:

 

Rocky theme music plays as Samson comes on the stage in a Rocky-esk style (new york tough guys accent)

 

I’m number 1! I’m number 1! No one can put me down…lions I tear them apart with my bear hands…Philistines…I took out a bunch here and then another bunch there…here a bunch there a bunch everywhere a bunch, bunch of Philistines….I’m good with foxes too…Noah had nothing on me…I gather those things up two by two, handling them with kit gloves of course (Pausing realizing people aren’t getting his joke…)he explains…you see young foxes are called “kits” so I would handle them with Kit gloves…oh forget about it! I took the foxes tied them together with a lit torch and burned all the fields of the philistines…people will learn not to mess with me…speaking of foxes I keep trying with the ladies and it never seems to work out…that is until now….Delilah WOW what a looker…just because she’s a philistine… don’t judge me….we have played this game she wants me to tell her the source of my strength so I said weave my hair into a loom…busted the loom, tie me up with bowstrings busted right out of them…tonight if she asks again…I think I’ll tell her the truth (Rocky music plays again) that’s my song, running late got to go…she said she’d keep an eye out for me…

 

Be honest… most of us battle with pride at times – either blatant pride where we are just arrogant or hidden pride where we are at time passive aggressively controlling people and situations through our “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be OK” attitude

 

 

 

What are the real dangers of pride?

  1. Broken relationship with God

 

James 4:6 “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”

 

2) No room for God

 

Psalm 10:4 The wicked are too proud to seek God. They seem to think that God is dead.

3) Arguments-conflict-sin

 

Proverbs 13:10 Pride leads to conflict;those who take advice are wise.

4) Strife

 

Proverbs 28:25 He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered.

 

5) Putting our trust in all the stuff of life

 

Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.

 

 

Is there a good pride?

 

Ecclesiastes 3:22 “…there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work”

 

Feeling good about all that the Lord has done through you and in you

– your accomplishments at the job, at church, in your home

– taking pride in your children just for who they are

– taking pride in your growth and maturity as a human being and a Christian

 

These are things that keep you focused on what God is doing in and through you.

 

We see the very real danger in pride in Samson’s life in one simple verse

 

What do you think was Samson’s real weakness and why did he become weak?

 

Judges 16:20 When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.

 

God desires to bless us and change the world through us. Pride can blind us to fulfilling God’s plan…we can literally be walking through life and not realize that God has left us…we think everything is God but we have walked outside of His protection and even placed ourselves in a position of being opposed by God

 

Psalm 138:6

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud.

 

Matthew 23:12

But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

 

1 Peter 5:5

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

 

Wow

 

I want God’s care…how about you?

I want God to bless me…how about you?

I want God pouring out His grace on me…how about you?

 

How do we recognize pride in our lives? Here are some signs

 

– If we get offended easily

– If we are jealous of the accomplishments of others

– If we are angry that others haven’t noticed “what we do”

– If we hold unforgiveness

– If we are not serving others…we feel that is for others to do

– If we always demanding our own way

 

Why are those things bad?

 

Well God can’t have any part in that and if we are living with any of these things active in our lives we may be like Samson and not even realize God has left us (not that He has left us but His blessing and protection are no longer on those areas of our lives because they can’t be)

 

We have a lot to be thankful for and prideful, in a good way

– we live in an amazing nation

– we have food on our table or a way to get it

– we are seeing the Lord move in very powerful ways

 

 

I want us to nurture what the Lord is doing here and we can’t grow as family if pride is in the way…we can’t be effective in touching our region if pride is in the way…we can’t act as god(s) we need to allow God to be God and if we do we will see

 

If we walk and live humbly we will see God’s… support, encouragement, blessing, open doors, wisdom, provision, we will prosper, most importantly we will know God is with us and for us!

 

Let’s see what God will do…going to do things a little differently today. I am going to pray and the worship team will lead us in some worship I don’t want you to come to the altar right away…I know we are seeing some amazing things happen here and I know the Lord is working on all of our hearts..so please take a moment in closing worship to allow the Lord to search your heart…not because he is angry at you but because he wants to bless and promote you but you have an area of pride that He has been wanting to deal with…and now will if you will allow it