Dennis Cramer 10/14/2017

As you are looking for your “word” this is the order as you skim through to find yours

1) Denise Graves

2) Rachel Burgan

3) Amanda Burgan

4) Christopher Burgan

5) Jon Kozik

6) Matt Keffer

7) Chris Duranti

8) Stephen Mingrino

9) Kathleen Mingrino

10) Tom Rogers

11) Paula Kicinko

12) Joyce Vivio

13) Suzanne

14) Walter

15) Daryl Aitken

16) Sharon Doehne

17) Carrie Murt

18) Julie Anders

19) Kyla

20) Sydney

21) Kelly and Todd Clark

22) Stephen Mickey

23) Michele Petix

24) Joy Shutterly

25) Terri Pollok

26) Sarah Salay

27) Vicki Ellsworth

28) Tina Porter

29) David Orr

30) Cherie Orr

31) Sue

32) Lou

33) Tim and Lynn Nichols

34) Amanda Anders

35) Victoria Anders

36) Elizabeth Young

37) Tori (Joe Cervantes girlfriend)

It is time for fire – a frank talk to the church

Last Friday was amazing, and I really can’t get it out of my head.

 

I will pick up on the messes dirty laundry and real Christian life in a couple of weeks, but I need to expound upon some things that Ken shared over the services I was in with him and add what the Lord has been talking to me about for us.

 

God is breaking something loose here in our church, and I want to nurture that breaking loose

 

There are three critical elements that I want to prophetically speak to you about today…mainly because the Lord will not release me until I do

 

  • Preparation – I want us to go higher and deeper with expectation through the roof of what God is going to do every service

 

– There is a big difference between doing things for God and being with him – Mary Martha calling to be with him as we are preparing to come to church

 

-Jesus said something very distressing to the disciples John 16:5-7

 

“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.

 

The Holy Spirit is here…He is not an it, and experience, a feeling, and emotion, a passing thought…He is a person…He is God, and He is with you, but at the same time there is a greater anointing in fellowship that’s why Jesus said Matthew 18:19,20

 

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

 

In order for there to be agreement for this power there must be preparation of heart, mind, soul, …unity is intentional

 

For a priest to enter into the holy of holies several steps had to be taken

 

God was with the people of Israel always but to come into the most intimate of relationship with the Lord certain steps were taken

 

  • Priest was intentional about going in
  • Put on the right garments to come in….when you come to the church what are you wearing…not physically but the garment of praise, expectation, hunger, desire for Him or is it just common
  • He would bathe…are you washed by the word, have you bathed in prayer…are you really ready to come into His presence
  • He always brought an offering…you should never come to the Lord empty-handed but what I mean by this today is that you come ready to be completely surrendered to the Lord

 

Can you imagine what the Lord will do if every week we come with a hunger, expectation for Him..we have been faithful in the Word and prayer and without holding anything back we give everything to him…if so I believe we can expect the fire of God

 

Fire – this can come anytime we are gathered, prepared and ready for the move of God

 

I want us to look at three aspects of the fire of God

 

Fire that attracts and draws – Exodus 3:2,3

 

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”

 

– the flames drew Moses nothing was burning but a flame was there….we will be normal nothing different but the firs of God in us will draw us to him and draw others to us

– People will naturally want to know what is going on as the fire burns

-People will see the flames from everywhere just as Moses was drawn

 

Fire that purifies – Matthew 3: 11,12

 

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

 

This references Malachi 3:2 where the God is speaking about Jesus purifying his people

 

“But who can endure the day of His coming?

And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner’s fire

And like launderers’ soap.

 

– As we draw into the presence of God, we won’t be able to help ourselves other than to be cleansed and challenged to purity and real holiness in the presence of God Isaiah 6:5-7

“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

 

It is one thing to be filled with the Spirit it is quite another to move in the real power and anointing because you are walking purified before a holy God

 

Fire that brings power –

Acts 1:8

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 2:2-4

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 

What is the power for?

 

AS we recognize we have this power, we must take it and use it

 

  • Release –

 

both the priest in the Holy of Holies and the disciples filled with the Spirit were called, after being in the presence of God… to deliver what the Lord has given so everyone would know

 

I know we understand about the gifts and everything regarding the power, but I believe God is raising the church and our church in particular to impact everything…He said greater works would he do and here is part of what he fulfilled

 

Luke 4:18,19

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

 

 

Starts with preparation then the fire comes that attracts, purifies and empowers then we must take it change our world.

 

God give us the region, the broken, the hurting the captive, The state, the nation the world

 

Psalm 2:7,8

“I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

Messes Dirty Laundry and the Real Christian Life Part 3 Sarah’s Story

Messes, dirty laundry, and the real Christian life Part 3

We all go through it…times when it seems impossible to believe something good from God

It often happens when God’s timing for something and our timing are not coordinated…God has a plan, and we have a plan, but we want God to fit into our plan

God spoke through the prophet Isaiah explaining this difference

Isaiah 55: 8,9

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

 

This isn’t about God spanking us for not trusting Him or having false expectations…He is merely challenging us to trust Him that He has an even better plan because he loves us

 

Disappointment sets in and disillusionment sets in because things didn’t happen our way so out of that can be the beginning of unbelief

 

Sarah was that way…she had trusted God in so many ways following her husband to a nowhere land was faith on her part then being told she was to be a mother in her old age was too much

 

Genesis 17: 15-19

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai, your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!” 19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

 

Sara knew God had spoken that she would have a son, but her belief was not in the completeness of God’s plan but that she would have a son but she thought she had to figure out how she was going to make it happen

 

Genesis 16:1,2

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go into my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.”

 

A son was born, and Sarai despised Hagar and Ishmael because of it

 

– when we try to make things happen our way they are always a cheap imitation of what God wants

– it always leads to more disappointment and disillusionment

– God’s plans will always be fulfilled even if he has to make an attitude adjustment on us to do it but for them, it took 14 years

 

But God always shows up

 

Genesis 18: 10-12

And God said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

 

Let’s here Sarah’s point of view

 

Sarah….comes on stage laughing speaking to Abraham off stage

 

That was a good one Abe…I love to laugh after all laughter is good like a medicine…did anyone ever say anything to you that was so ridiculous that you had to laugh?I overheard God saying something to my husband that just cracked me up….don’t you judge me! Here is the story God showed up at our home, so I rushed to make lunch… at ninety rushing isn’t what it used to be…as I’m throwing lunch together feeling my age with every push of the bread dough…God said I was going to have a baby…I burst out laughing…I didn’t mean to, but it just happened….I’m 90 years old….it has been a very long time since there was any possibility of my becoming pregnant we gave up on that a long time ago…did I mention I was 90 years old…it was impossible, inconceivable and in all ways ridiculous but sure enough less than a year later my laughter turned into a bundle of joy (lovingly fondly remembering that moment…then realizing Ishmael had placed Isaac on a sheep and was getting ready to chase the sheep around the yard) Ishmael get your brother off of that sheep…I don’t care if you think it would be funny…he’s your little brother and you’re supposed to protect him….(to the audience)kids when will they ever stop tormenting each other.. (Sarah leaves stage still yelling at Ismael)

 

Unbelief steals life from us… God’s promises are always true he cannot fail or lie

 

Hebrews 6:18

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

 

When God’s word says something or God says something to you directly, he will always come through…but he does it His way.

 

One of the most significant hindrances to belief is not a lack of faith in God but questioning whether He will fulfill His promise, open the door, heal, deliver, or meet me…we know God can do it but will he do it for me

 

I know I say many times “God is always faithful” and it can feel trite when you are going through something, but the key to overcoming unbelief happens way before you feel unbelief but even in your unbelief you can apply it

 

Be in God’s word…all day long every day we are saturated with negativity, pessimism, anti-Christ attitudes, and thoughts…I would challenge you to become aware of how many songs you hear, news broadcast you hear, television programs and movies that all blast you senses with things that attack your faith and belief

 

Think about it

 

Here are two verses I want you to apply to your life that will overcome unbelief every time

 

Romans 10:17

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

 

Because we are so inundated with unbelief, counter thinking to God’s word we need to be in God’s word daily to stand on His truth every day and that helps to build our faith

 

1 Thessalonians 2:13

For this reason, we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

 

Paul is encouraging us with the understanding that we can have daily, weekly, and monthly encouragement from men and women of God speaking into our lives…Each week and actually if you are reading the “thought for the day” every weekday God gives me a word of challenge and/or encouragement for you that I don’t say this arrogantly I say it humbly I seek him for and to present to you…it would scare me to present on Facebook or in the pulpit a word that was simply from me under the guise of God. Paul is saying when we receive the teaching from a man or woman of God we can welcome it as the word of God and use it for our growth and to overcome all unbelief.

 

Hundreds of people from around the world read my blog, directly from the blog every day it is easy for you to think well it is just my Pastors thought for the day, but it is something that could change your attitude and help you overcome every day

 

The Pastors and other teachers that are here are all called by God to help you become the man or woman of God you are called to be

 

The key to the enemies’ game of creating unbelief is

 

– making you feel unvalued or unimportant

– keeping you away from God’s word, and dishonoring the people God has raised up to bring faith to you as well as swamping you with the daily dose of pessimism and negativity

 

It is a battle to overcome unbelief please understand this, that God loves and believes in you…you are extremely valuable to Him

Knowing this key to your life will help you understand that he will be faithful to you just because he loves you

 

Ten differences between Faith and Unbelief…they will be an encouragement for you

 

 

The Puritan writer John Bunyan listed 25 difference between faith and unbelief here are the ten that are most relevant 

 

  1. Faith sees more in a promise of God to help than in all other things to hinder. Unbelief sees more in the things that hinder than in God’s promise to help.
  2. Faith sees love in the heart of Christ when he speaks to reprove us. Unbelief sees anger in God’s heart when he says that he loves us.
  3. Faith gives comfort in the midst of fear. Unbelief brings fear in the midst of comfort.
  4. Faith helps the soul to wait when God defers giving. Unbelief takes the huff if God makes us tarry.
  5. Faith will suck sweetness even out of God’s rod, but unbelief finds no comfort even in his greatest mercies.
  6. Faith makes great burdens light. Unbelief makes light burdens heavy.
  7. Faith lifts us up when we are down, but unbelief throws us down when we are up.
  8. Faith brings us near to God when we are far from him. Unbelief puts us far from God when we are near to him.
  9. Faith purifies the heart. Unbelief keeps the heart impure.
  10. Faith finds the ways of God pleasant and admirable. Unbelief makes them heavy and hard.

 

 

 

Messes, Dirty Laundry, and the real Christian life Part 2

Today I want to cover another topic that many Christians deal with, they become overwhelmed by and the enemy keeps them trapped by and God wants to set people free today.

 

The enemy makes you feel like a failure but if you recognize the root of this situation you can use it not a deterrent to faith but as a stepping stone to it.

 

Let’s look revisit the hall of faith this week and look at our heroes

 

How can we ever live up to them?

 

Well let’s take a look at them

 

Hebrews 11:1-3, 7-10

 

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 7….By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

 

Abraham left everything to follow the call of God. Can you imagine one day saying to everyone you knew

 

 

 

  • We are packing up and leaving everything we know… business, family, friends
  • We don’t know where we are going but we will know when we get there
  • I don’t know how long we will travel and others will be living on our land but God is giving it to us
  • BTW I’m 75 years old and I’m going to be a father soon

 

That takes faith…amazing faith

 

Have you ever found yourself having great faith like this?

 

You see the Lord move in your life, you see an answer to prayer that really is a miracle.

 

But then something happens that hits you in your area of weakness

 

In the tradition of the Nomads if a man saw a woman he liked and she was the wife of another they would simply kill the husband and take the woman as their wife. Abraham had this nearly happen to him…twice

 

Genesis 20:1,2

Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner, 2 Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.

 

Let’s hear from Abraham

 

Abraham: I know I’m going to get killed this time…I got away with it once…those Egyptians they are all “wrath of Ra” kind of stuff so God was able to protect me there but this King Abimelech he is a different kind of guy….hey you (talking to the audience) don’t judgment me which one of you packed everything up and took all your stuff and your family 600 miles we aren’t talking planes trains or automobiles here we are talking…I heard from God, who by the way I never heard from before, we packed everything up my wife, staff, and all our stuff and left…see I am a man of faith, even a prophet…but this thing…oh why am I cursed with such a beautiful wife….this is real….God I’m going to die this time I just know it…(cell phone rings) “Hello, King Abimelech…your sending Sara back and you need me to pray for you…so you’re not going to kill me? I’ll be right there….(to audience) I knew it all along I knew God would protect…see ya got to go get my wife

 

Genesis 20:6,7

In the dream God responded to Abimelech, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”

 

The devil knows our weaknesses perhaps even better than we do He knows what buttons to push..even though Abraham had lied he was still a prophet of God according to God

 

We have all been there one day we are floating on cloud 9 everything is going so well…we have mountain moving faith in operation it doesn’t seem like anything can stop us then WHAM!!! Something hits us and fear grips us and overwhelms us

 

Does that mean we are a failure? Does fear completely cancel out our faith?

 

We need to realize fear is really about a lack of control and God wants to show us how he can be in control of what is out of control.

 

I know this sounds weird but to me at times, fear can be a precursor to faith

 

From a positive side…anytime God asks us to do something new… there is always going to be a little bit of fear and trepidation.

 

The first thing the angel had to say to Mary Luke 1:30 was “Don’t fear” in Matthew 1:20 Joseph is told not to be afraid to marry Mary

 

Joshua is told by God as he takes the reigns of leadership Joshua 1:9

 

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

 

But what if it is not doing something great for God but you are facing something the doctor says, a financial crisis, or any other way your world is falling apart…that doesn’t make you a bad Christian it just makes you someone who God is helping to get to the next level.

 

Fear is a choice….after the initial shock

 

When we are afraid we can choose to live there or we can choose to ‘fearfully and with great trepidation” choose to trust the Lord.

 

Fear can help us to see where we need the Lord the most

It can at times help us to grow in our faith

It can protect us from doing the wrong thing

It can cause us to stop and seek guidance and wisdom

 

The negative of fear is it is a reaction to our lack of trust in the Lord…but once again God knows we will go through this and is always prepared to help.

 

 

David was serving the Philistines and threatened by Saul. His enemies were all around him….he was afraid for very real reasons when he wrote

 

Psalm 56: 3,4

But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. 4 I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?

What can mere mortals do to me?

 

As I mentioned earlier with Joshua and Abraham all the great men and women of God faced fear, they struggled just like you and I but they didn’t push it down, ignore it or hide from it…they dealt with it head on.

 

I hope in this series if you get nothing else you begin to grasp that our messes and dirty laundry are nothing to hide from but to bring them to the light so they can be dealt with and we can grow

 

Notice how David handle his fear

 

  • took it to the Lord honestly telling Him he was afraid
  • In the midst of his fear he began to remember the promises of God and praise him for them
  • He reminded himself of who God is (in the midst of his fear)

 

The Lord did deliver, we know the story…he still went through some tough times but he kept coming back to trusting the Lord

 

Isaiah 41:10,13

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

 

For I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.

 

The enemies of Israel have just taken out everyone and God is reminding them that even though they went through this tough time if they choose to trust him as they have turned back to him he will never allow their enemies to defeat them again.

 

What fear are you facing right now?

– is it your future

– your finances

– health challenge

– your kids/family/marriage

 

When God told Israel through Isaiah that he was there to help here is what God promises when we are afraid the word “help” means

 

– to surround

– to protect

– to supply all that we need to overcome

 

Fear is very real and it is nothing to look down on yourself about or to feel defeated over.

 

Whatever you are going through God wants to help you

 

He sees your fear and understands it but also wants to help you through it

 

– be honest with God about how you feel

– Remember His promises to you if you do know any it is time to get into the Bible here are a few

 

Proverbs 3:25,26

So don’t be afraid of sudden disasters or storms that strike those who are evil. 26 You can be sure that the Lord will protect you from harm.

 

Psalm 23:4

I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe.

 

Psalm 46:1-3

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

 

John 14:27

I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. So don’t be worried or afraid.

 

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

 

– Trust Him that He is going to come through for you despite your fear.

 

God doesn’t love you any less because you are battling fear…in fact He wants to draw even closer to you to surround you, protect you, and give you all you need

 

Will you let him today?

 

 

 

Messes, Dirty Laundry, and the real Christian life

Messes, dirty laundry and the real Christian life Part 1

 

Take a look around the church this morning….

What do you see?

Many people come into church after that have been through a rough week, month, or year and believe…everyone has their act together, everyone is so perfect

But if you really spent time with any family you would hear real stories of messes, dirty laundry and everyone learning to trust in God’s faithfulness on a daily basis.

 

The statement on the wall in the lobby says, “we do real” here and I know the enemy would like to condemn you, make you feel imperfect, make you feel as if you can never attain to being the person God has called us to be…

 

Even the Apostle Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament knew God had more work to do in him

 

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Philippians 3:12

But we have this hall of faith, this cloud of witnesses to live up to. How can we ever live up to them?

Well let’s take a look at them

 

Hebrews 11:1-7

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this, he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

 

Able and Enoch we really don’t know enough about for today’s teaching but Noah, we have a lot of information about.

 

Here is how we are introduced to Noah

 

Genesis 6:9

“This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.”

 

We know the story God was going to destroy everything Noah said no problem I’ll build an ark and the animals came two by two. Rain for 40 days and nights…He and His family were the only people left on the face of the earth.

 

Do righteous people, godly people do stupid things?

No, not truly righteous and godly people….well you better think again

 

Genesis 9:15

One day he (Noah) drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent.

 

Let’s hear from Noah today

 

 

Noah comes walking on the stage obviously drunk maybe interacts with a few people

 

Noah: Ok…OK don’t judge me, the grapes just got a little fermented who knew they would taste that good…For a little over a year I shoveled manure, lived in a cramped space with every animal DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT’S LIKE?….lions roaring, kangaroos hopping, skunks spraying… you get the picture. Starting out the new life I had a little trouble, not as good with raising pigs as I thought…I thought I’ll talk to Joe the pig farmer then I remember Joe’s dead…ran into the same problem with shearing the sheep…never did it before would like to have asked Earl the shepherd how to do it but Earl’s dead…don’t get me wrong (Noah still staggering and slurring his words) I’m so grateful God protected me and my family…I love Him you know…I just miss everyone so much I have PFTD you know that’s Post Flood Traumatic Disorder it makes it hard to cope. (Noah makes his way back to the prayer room and passes out there at end of lines, no one can see) Excuse me I think I’m going to be sick and pass out now, just not sure which I’m going to do first. Wow, these clothes are really uncomfortable!

 

OK, OK we don’t know exactly why Noah got drunk just he was still a righteous man…did he get drunk all of the time? No, but any of us can blow it, grief does funny things to people

 

As Christians when we lose a loved one, lose a job, lose a friendship, go through a divorce, have a miscarriage, lose a dream, or some other devastating thing, grief can set in.

 

We want to put on the smiling face and just get through it or we want to break down and cry, get angry, or just get depressed for a while then we feel guilty or others make us feel guilty for not being the “good Christian”

 

That being a good Christian thing is what trips us up. Perfection is sometimes what we believe we are to obtain but that is not God’s plan for us…His plan is for us to become perfect in him and that only happens by learning to be real, honest, and surrendering daily to Him.

 

Being a good Christian means going through stuff, letting God be God in our lives

 

Let me ask you something

 

Is the Bible God’s word?

 

Is everything in the Bible true?

 

If so then let’s look at what the Bible has to say

 

When I am counseling people who have just lost a loved one I will remind them of Jesus words.

 

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

First, something we need to realize it is OK when we have a loss, regardless of what it is or how important or unimportant it may seem to others it is OK to mourn that loss

 

Mourning here means to experience great loss. It is not “Christian” to hide the pain and hurt of the loss…it is Christian to walk it through and trust the Lord to bring the comfort

 

Jesus is saying here in “Blessed” “how fortunate are those that mourn” why because as we mourn, whatever the loss is, we will have the Holy Spirit meet us in a very real place and He can in our pain, despite our pain, through our pain pour the fruit of the Spirit to get us through it.

 

Speaking of getting through it Remember Isaiah 43:2

 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,”

 

Being a Christian does not mean that we go through life oblivious to pain, struggle or trial. Can you imagine what Noah and his family went through in very practical ways….

 

-what do you feel like with just one rainy day let alone 40

– what would it feel like that everyone you knew was dead mother, father, aunts, uncles, neighbors

– living in a confined space with all those animals and their bodily fluids and cleaning constantly, feeding nonstop, and the noise

– We know when they got off of the ark, they had no idea how many months days or years it would be

 

We sometimes mourn things thinking we have missed God’s plan when in reality what we are going through, as uncomfortable as it may seem, is God walking us through the fire and the flood.

 

God does not normally cause things, we would interpret as bad to happen but if we are willing, He will use them to give us strength, wisdom, courage and to help us build trust with Him.

 

Don’t allow anyone to belittle your grief…don’t feel you are not a good Christian because you are grieving some kind of loss…instead, use your time of grieving to allow the Lord to teach you more about himself.

 

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

 

In the midst of our loss, our sense of grief, our mourning the Lord can be there and minister to you when you are ready and when you are willing…he can teach you about His strength, His help and watch and learn what it is to walk in His righteousness.

 

In the middle of your loss, he will come and bring life to you when you feel the most at loss

 

Psalm 119:50

Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.

 

Grief over a job loss, dream loss, a loved one, a baby, a relationship, or anything is real and Christians even good ones go through it but that is the point of it we must allow the Lord in His gentle, unique way to take us through it and then walk us out of it.

 

Hebrews 4:15,16

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

 

He gets it…He really does…The enemy also gets it and wants to keep you there…there is an appropriate time for grieving, mourning, and feeling the loss and then it is time…because He understands exactly what we are going through to allow him to start lifting us out of it pouring out the grace that we need

 

Today we want to do that…if you are ready then we want to pray that the Lord lifts you out of that burden you have been carrying for so long

 

BUT

If you aren’t ready…that’s OK come and allow someone to pray with you that you can sense his comfort with you right this moment right in your grief and so you can sense His help, His strength, His love, Jesus wept with those that mourned once the weeping was done He took action…let us help you get through the mourning

 

If you are feeling depressed, angry, frustrated, loss, confusion, all of these may be signs of mourning Come let the Lord meet you there!

 

 

 

 

 

Who are you really?

Who are you really?

 

a teaching that should radically change your view of who you are

 

We are told by people everyday who we are some emphasize our failures and make us feel small and useless and some emphasize our successes and make us feel good but it creates in us a performance mentality make us feel if we don’t keep performing we will not be loved and accepted.

 

God sees us differently and today I want you to see what the Word says God sees who you are!

 

Even if you have been walking with the Lord for a long time you may need to be reminded of what God’s word says rather than what people say

 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12

Such a simple verse sounds very “yes that’s nice”, sort of vanilla

What this verse says is that you have no reason for failing to become a success….you have so much more going for you according to this verse than you know!!!

Ok don’t look at me like that….you believe God’s Word, the Bible is true right???

While our translations are correct sometimes the emphasis is not what it should be as we read the text.

Have you received him?

What Paul is saying is

 

– Have you realized you are a sinner in need a savior?

– Have you realized you are at your greatest when you decrease and He increases?

– Have you realized your goodness is not good enough?

– Have you said, “Jesus I give you control”?

– Is He in control of your job, attitude, finances, future, and family?

 

If these things are applicable to your life, if you are daily trying to walk this kind of walk then you have welcomed Jesus into your life and are daily choosing to follow Him….you have received Him!

 

Are we all good with that? Everybody good?

 

Say with me “I’ve received Jesus!”

 

What does John say next “to them He gave the right to become children of God”

 

Another vanilla thought, nothing exciting except what it really says

 

The word translated here “right” is the Greek word “exousia” which means delegated power, delegated authority, or influence.

 

The moment you received Christ, the moment you invited Him to take control of your life He delegated to you the power to become a Child of God.

 

Stop for a moment and think about this…at that very moment He delegated all of the power, authority and divine influence that is in the name of Jesus, into your life

 

So don’t ever allow anyone to make you think you are weak, useless, less than what you are. You have the power and authority of the Almighty God living in side of you daily working in you to fulfill your destiny and to impact the world!!!

 

Say with me…I am walking in power and authority

 

That same explosive, phenomenal, amazing power and authority that was resident in Jesus lives in you (I need an explosive fireworks video here)

 

So what’s holding you back???

 

I know stuff…stuff from your past, from what you believe about yourself, stuff other people have said about you

 

I’ve got more good news….let’s look at one other verse

 

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

 

Ok we just got done saying we have all received him right?

 

The word used here “Kainos” which we are translating as “new” means brand new, recently made and it also means something that was made superior.

 

See when you came to Christ he made you absolutely completely new you are not your old self you have been made into something superior to your old self

 

Say with me “that’s amazing!

 

Then you add to that the word translated “creation” which carries the same meaning as the creation of the world. The Holy Spirit is telling us as the universe was created out of something that had not existed we are not a revised version, corrected version of our selves or even and improved version we are totally and completely new.

 

None of our failures, nothing anyone has defined us by, nothing from before we came to Jesus matters. You are a completely brand new creation in Christ nothing that happened before you came to Jesus matters

 

Why do we allow it to hurt us, feel the weight of it, because the devil has convinced us this amazing miracle has not really taken place but to the father it has!!!

 

Think about it…what is holding you back from fulfilling you destiny, purpose, or walking in freedom? None of it has any right to limit you!

 

When Christ came to you and you received Him he created you to be free from your past, free from all the family drama you went through, liberated from all your former hang-ups

 

You can….

 

So stop laying claim to your family’s genetic problems, inheritable sicknesses, dysfunctional behavior, disorders, hang-ups, curses, or any other negative thing that was a part of your life before Christ. That old person no longer exists. They are dead. You are brand new.

 

Let me take you today to one more verse

 

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

 

This verse is saying on the day you came to Christ God put forth all of his creative artisanship to create you in to a most beautiful masterpiece.

 

There is nothing cheap about you…when you received Christ all of God’s creativity, wisdom, intelligence artistry went into making you completely new.

 

No one has any right to call you or define you as dumb, stupid, a failure, to beat you up with your past. According to the scripture all of those things are lies, false feelings you are utterly and completely new.

 

As a Christian every time we ask for forgiveness it is all new as well!

 

But I still feel like a failure?

I still am acting like my unsaved self or I carry the things from my Father or Mother

I am constantly reminded of my former self

 

All I can tell you is what God’s word says…You must make the choice to believe it and allow The Holy Spirit’s power to transform you to come into alignment with God’s Word

 

God holds his word above his name and what I have described for you today is really who you are!!!

 

Are you ready to believe it?

 

– You have been delegated all of the power and authority in Christ to accomplish all He has called you to do

 

– You are nothing like your old self you are completely brand new made out of new stuff

 

– Not only are you made out of new stuff but you are a masterpiece work of the Father’s hand exactly what the world needs to bring them to freedom

Is that amazing or what?

 

Not feeling it? Great that is why I was given this to teach, God wants you there come today and allow someone to pray for you and allow the Lord to put these verses to work in your life!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing for what’s next

Preparing for what’s next

I believe the Lord is going to bring great success to our church families, the Valley, our state, and nation

I believe as you begin to apply the things we have been learning through the teaching, your reading your daily devotions, your time in prayer every day God is giving us success

WE see it in the miracles we hear the Lord is performing here, every week someone shares with me the impact the service had on their lives, and I hear from many of you how the Lord has used you to touch hearts and lives….that is really a large portion of the purpose of church to equip you to impact the world.

The Lord is moving us on to success and blessing for what He has in store for us next…The position and authority he has called us to, but we must not neglect what He is doing in us now and especially not neglect what God is doing in you now.

WE begin this morning with a promotion story

Joshua 1:2

“Moses My servant is dead. Now, therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 

God speaks to Joshua directly for the first time….He has promoted him and promises great success

Joshua’s preparation for leadership and success was built over time 40 years to be exact

I believe as we look at Joshua’s preparation we can learn how to be a success and prepare for the next steps

In the chronology of the Bible, we first see Joshua here

Exodus 17:9

And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.”

Somewhere along the line Joshua was trained to be a soldier. He used those skills to honor the Lord.

Many want God to pour all kinds of blessings on them. We want to see God move in our lives. God may have even placed a desire or a dream in your heart. Joshua shows us first how to begin to see that fulfilled it is all a matter of choosing to trust

1) Joshua trusted in the gifts and skills God gave him

 Joshua served the Lord with what the Lord had given him…

One of the odd things I see about human nature is that the things that come easiest to us we don’t seem to value….we want to do something else that seems in our eyes harder or more valuable in some way and in some ways it is more valuable to us because we don’t have the skills

People who come by being a parent easily don’t think anything of it

Ron or Dean with dry wall and mudding they have done it so much

Even one of the greats in baseball Roberto Clemente, in an interview about his greatness he simply said, “I love baseball, and I come to play!”

If we choose to recognize that anything we can do, is a skill and a gift and every good gift comes from God then….

Do what you can to the best of your ability, and it will honor God

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all of your might.” 

In preparing for what’s next, we need be faithful to use what God has given us now!

2) We see Joshua trusting in the people God has placed to mentor Him!

Joshua’s hope was not in the perfection of Moses but in Moses love of the Lord

Exodus 24:13,14

So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14 And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed, Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.”

Moses and Joshua leave the people in the hands of Aaron and Hur and head up the mountain of God.

Moses had the advantage of being in the presence of God for the 40 days he was up there….Joshua was alone feeling nothing from God, seeing nothing from God. He may have even been fasting like Moses

His hope was in trusting God, in Moses. He knew he was called to serve and didn’t doubt that call…No one will ever be a good leader until they learn to be a good servant…God will never trust someone with authority who doesn’t know how to work under authority

Romans 13:1-5

For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 

God places authority into our lives to help make us the best we can be

– Protect us – helping us to see what we sometimes can not see ourselves, literally defending us at times, spiritual authority protects by helping us understand God’s word, call to living, and His commands and praying for us.

– Present truth – often we do not want to see the truth we would rather deceive ourselves to save ourselves from pain…Unless we deal with the truth, the pain may be worse later… It is like when you do not discipline your children because it is hard on your heart or too wearying, later they end up not getting a solid career, into the right school, or even end up in trouble with the law…Speaking truth lovingly saves us pain

there is also a very positive side of authority speaking the truth and that is when the devil has lied to us and tried to tear us down, robs us of our hope and dreams…those in authority can speak life back into us…The truth of God’s word and restore hope

– Challenge and cause growth – the authority in our lives like our Fathers and Mothers is meant to push us to grow…To challenge us to become everything we are called to be. We will only grow to our fullest by having the authority train and challenge us one of the greek meanings behind this is the training of a vine, so it will produce more fruit.

When it came time for Joshua to lead, Moses and the Lord knew he could be trusted to obey the instruction of the Lord because he learned first to obey the instructions of the man of God, God had placed over him

He trusted in the presence of God

Exodus 33:11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant  Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

This takes a faith walk to believe that God is real and that He created you for a purpose…That faith walk in order to be a great leader needs to grow into knowledge

Proverbs 2:5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,

And find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom;

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;

We must have a real life knowledge of God to moves us to the next place to know as Hebrews writes that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, to know that He is good, to know that He is, to know that he is real, powerful, present, he knows everything.

This is only developed by spending time with Him. Joshua was not satisfied with having a relationship with the Lord only through Moses; he wanted a real relationship with him in person where he got to know the Lord and his ways

Psalm 103:7 says He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

Joshua wanted to know God not just what he could do

When you understand who God is you are ready for promotion insecurities and fear fade away…By knowing who God is, it is easy to discover who you are and your gifts and call…you can stand up for anything and also stand against anything

He trusted in the word of God

This is probably the most famous story of Joshua’s life

Numbers 14:6-9

But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”

God had promised Israel a land of their own. He did not say how they would get it. Every promise of God was just as He said but they had to fight to get the promise….God knew there were giants and high walled cities, rivers to cross, mountains to traverse when He promised the land.

To move into the next step, you must trust God at his word for the first step.

First missions trip God told me to go….no permissions, no plans, no meetings set up, no hotel or transportation arrangements and me responsible for $50K of equipment I learned to rely on the Lord rather than my abilities

Shot video on the great wall BBC paid 100K for permission, met numerous persecuted Christians met the head of the three self-church, had the military always two steps behind us…there was no communication back home.

Joshua saw the problems but believed in the promise more than the problem…

Are you prepared for what’s next?

– When the Lord can trust you to use what you have

– When He can trust you to trust Him that he placed the leadership over you

– When he can trust you to get to know Him

– When He can trust you to trust Him at His word

Then you are ready…you may say I’m too old, too settled, too comfortable…you can make excuses all day, but until you are dead God has a NEXT plan for you if you the next plan is death, don’t you want to go see Him and have Him say “well done?”…why waste time…prepare for what’s next

What do you want out of life?

What do you want out of life?

 

There’s a loaded question. Our culture is turning more fatalistic every day. People feel their lives are out of control, well I guess that’s just the way it is. I guess this is the best it can be!

 

What if I told you that is absolutely a bold faced lie that there is a promise of God, even a law of God that you can apply that can bring you to a place of fulfilled dreams or if applied incorrectly constant frustrate and even disaster.

 

Do you want to know what it is?

 

What God wants out of your life is for you to live in the fruit of the Spirit, to love one another and to love Him and for you to fulfill your destiny, what you were created for! Want that?

 

A very important plan and law of God that helps complete this is found in Galatians 6

 

 

Galatians 6:6-9

Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

 

Paul is talking to a struggling church. They are struggling particularly in trusting the Lord to come through for them financially. They have not been supporting properly, the teachers who have come to them and they are reaping their failure because of that. Paul is referring to that here

 

Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

 

Have you ever trusted the Lord for something and felt that he had not come through for you?

 

You put some thought, study, prayer time into believing God would come through for you in some area only to feel like he let you down?

 

What is the result? You give up, get angry, become embittered, pessimistic, negative, depressed, hopeless…The saddest part if you never achieve what was birthed in your heart in the first place you lose your dream you settle for something less that what God has planned for you.

 

The Galatians had the same struggle they believed God would supply all of their needs, financially, emotionally, spiritually but instead of being consistent and pursuing what God had for them they stopped, giving up their dream and their future in the process.

 

How do I know this? Here is what Paul says to them

 

Do not be deceived!

 

The tense Paul uses here is a command he is saying “stop being deceived” apparently either false teachers had come in and were telling them to stop sowing seed, or they became frustrated with the results in the short-term and stopped pursuing God’s plan and began pursuing their own (we will see that in a moment)

 

God’s law of sowing and reaping was established early (Genesis 8:22 as long as the earth remains there will be seedtime and harvest) and today we live in a day where it has been abused and ridiculed, but it is a law of God that works.

 

I can see how it is easy in our culture to become disillusioned we want everything fast…we want our finances to turn around, our relationships to turn around, other people’s attitudes in general or toward us to turn around but it took time to get these things to sour and will take time to heal them so I can give you three guarantees

 

If you continue to be frustrated and give up whatever you are hoping will change, but for the worst I guarantee it!

 

I can also guarantee that if you sow bad seed, bitterness, fear, anxiety, anger, frustration you will reap that and so much more just like it.

 

I can also guarantee that if you continue to sow good seed, finances, love, hope, truth, time you will reap in return, finances, love, time and so much more.

 

More about these in a moment…The key is, don’t get frustrated don’t stop believing God is always faithful! Paul then says…

 

God is not mocked;

 

The word “mocked” means to sneer at to stick your nose up. It is to say “don’t be stupid you can’t possibly still believe that God will bless you financially if you give, you can’t possibly believe God will heal your marriage if you keep loving, you can’t possibly believe God will return time back to you if you volunteer…What a foolish belief.

 

It is never foolish to trust the Lord it is nearly always foolish to trust flesh.

 

Often what has happened to people is they have tried trusting the Lord and gave up too soon and they soured on the law of sowing and reaping saying “it doesn’t work” but a law of God must work because it is his law.

 

Paul doesn’t want this negative mentality to sneak into the life of the people of faith so he speaks loudly and firmly according to the text…

 

“For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

 

When Paul is saying “whatever” it literally means anything that you sow you will gain that in return…finances, love, time, grace anything is a seed to be sown and when you do you will reap…that being said

 

The tense Paul uses here describes a person who sows regularly, continuously, habitually. God promises that if you sow steadily, regularly he will come through.

 

I know this is used a lot for finances and it does apply to that but let’s say you are having a struggle with your boss or a series of clients or a neighbor or family member. Paul is saying if you regularly, habitually, steadily sow peace, patience, and love. If you continually go the extra mile, when you need it, God will do that for you.

 

Here is a way that part of the verse can be translated

 

“Stop letting people lead you astray from the truth! You might try to turn up your nose at the law of God, but it won’t change the law! It remains true that whatever you regularly and habitually sow — regardless of what it is — that is exactly what you will regularly and habitually reap.”

 

 

It is a law the Lord has established…some who have sown finances, time, love have gotten frustrated because they have given up too early that haven’t been faithful in the sowing and the result is God can’t bless or there is very little blessing!

 

 

Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 9:6

 

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

 

The challenge Paul presents to us is also that not only do we reap blessings but we can reap hassle. Let me give you a practical example

I hate getting jerked around or getting ripped off so when I feel as if someone is jerking me around this ARRRGGGHH rises up inside of me. There is a part of me that wants to fight for my rights, to push off the injustice of mistreatment but what I’ve learned is

 

I can be a jerk to the person, sowing jerky-ness into the situation and in return they generally will reap them being a jerk to me OR I can extend kindness and understanding into the situation and reap that in return.

 

Regardless whatever we sow and in what portion we sow it. God’s promise here is that we will definitely reap in proportion to our sowing.

 

I have made the choice to sow into my future. I have done it with bosses in the past treating them the way that I would want to be treated when I became someone’s boss. I have done it with people who didn’t have a clue, treating them with kindness and respect knowing that there will be times when I am clueless and I will need to be respected that way.

 

It does work for finances, we are doing well financially please don’t feel I am trying to trick you or manipulate you out of your money. I know from personal experience. When you learn to tithe first, then give offerings beyond that and then give to those in need beyond that you never have to worry about money, God will not be out done he will take care of…

 

– Our home

– Cars

– Kids college

– vacations

– investments

– peace of mind

– wisdom and insight

 

all because we have sown bountifully, consistently, steadily since I first earned any money.

 

But what do we do when it doesn’t seem like it is working?

 

Yes, there are some people even though you pour out love and kindness, patience, grace and mercy and in return, they are still jerks.

 

There are still may be times where you give and you don’t seem to see the blessing in your life

 

What do we do? Here is Paul’s answer

 

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

 

The idea of not growing weary is to not become slack so as to allow anything to be stolen from us. To keep up the good work know our reward is coming.

 

When Paul writes “in due season” means, just as it does in nature; “when the time is right” when the harvest is ready and plentiful. Paul is saying, at just the right time, when you will benefit the most. When His blessings will meet your need the best, you will reap!

 

God has a plan to bless all of us

 

So keep sowing love and you will gain love in return

 

Keep sowing patience and you will reap patience in return

 

Keep sowing forgiveness and you will receive forgiveness in return

 

Keep sowing financially and you will reap financially in return

 

Let me ask the question I asked at the start, “what do you want out of life?”

 

Paul has shown us that what we want, we need to sow and as we do continually, steadily, habitually, God, at just the right time, will pour back into us. Paul said it this way in

Ephesians 6:8

“knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord”

Matthew 6:14

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

Mark 9:35

“If anyone desires to be first (the greatest), he shall be last of all and servant of all.”

 

God has a plan to bless you, to fulfill the dream He placed on your heart.

 

Start today choose to walk in forgiveness, love, grace kindness, in financial trouble or have financial worries start tithing, giving offerings and giving to the needs of others

 

Want to be a leader, start serving others

 

Wherever you want to get, what you want out of life is in your hands today.

 

Here is a simplistic way to look at this

 

God has placed a dream in your heart. To get there, you do things His way, sowing into your dream by sowing into others!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reaching the world from Albania – Guest Speaker Chris Dakas

This teaching is from my friend Chris Dakas a former police officer from Wooster, Mass. who has been surrendering his life daily as a missionary in the Balkans region and Greece. Chris and his bride Laura are modern days Apostle Pauls, founding churches, a radio station, and many practical missions to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of Albanians, Greeks, Muslim, Orthodox, and atheist alike. Enjoy the encouragement, challenge, and teaching from Chris!

BTW the picture is from the first trip that I took my family to Albania!

The Judgment Free Zone

The Judgment free zone

 

There is a place that calls itself the judgment free zone because no one is permitted to judge others, be prideful, or feel ostracized (everyone is welcome, everyone belongs)

 

Sounds like a church you might want to attend

 

It is called “Planet Fitness”

 

The goal and their purpose is to make everyone feel like they belong that is not easy.

 

I hear it, there are clicks in churches what is ironic is most of the time those that say there are clicks are in a click themselves of those who feel they are not in someone else’s click

 

They are so judgmental in that church and while I understand there are churches that are judgmental sometimes the claim of judgmentalness is based on that fact that the church wants people to live the Christ-filled life rather than allowing sin to destroy them.

 

All of us have our prejudices and insecurities

 

We battle how we feel about ourselves and the way we feel about others

 

We are each a work in progress and I would like to challenge each of us today to become Planet Fitness Christians and live in a judgment free zone

 

We have two main challenges to living in the judgment free zone

 

1) Judgment of others

2) Judgment of ourselves

 

I want us to have a base line this morning of two passages of scripture

 

1 John 4:17,18

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

John 3:17

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

– One price

 

At Planet Fitness everyone basically pays the same price

 

Their fee is either 10/month or 20/month depending on the services each person wants.

 

Young, old, all races, backgrounds, rich, poor, heavily educated, limited in their education all are essentially one price, so the cost is equal for everyone and you can’t tell the differences of education, wealth, background are not really known. They can all work along side each other comfortably because everyone is welcomed

 

One price has been paid for us all there is no one who more special to God than another

 

From a judging others stand point–

– we all are on the same playing field

– all equally loved by God…

– for any of us to look at someone and judge them from the point of their position as a child of the King violates God’s love for them.

 

The scripture from 1 John says we have a boldness on the day of judgment because we have loved perfectly in a mature manner, the best way we knew how…not looking at anything on the outside to make a judgment.

 

Luke 5:29,30

Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

 

Yes the people who walk through our doors may be sinners, the person sitting next to you may be a sinner but we tend to look on the outward appearance …we never know what is going on in someone’s heart.

 

If we are going to reach people where they are, they need to feel loved first and we will “teach them to observe all things” later.

 

In the next verse Jesus response is… “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”

 

If we are not a judgment free zone those who are sick, in need of spiritual healing will only feel condemned how can they know the love of God if we don’t show it to them

 

– judgment of ourselves

 

how can we walk free of judgment if we feel condemned ourselves?…we need to understand only those who are condemned already should feel condemned…do you sin?

 

Well let me ask that another way…who has not had a bad attitude, a bad thought or done anything that violates God’s word that’s sins of commission we have committed who here has seen a person in need, or someone hurting and in need of prayer, saw someone you knew needed Jesus and did not share with them who Jesus is to you and what He has done for you…those are sins of omission….we all battle sin but Christ died for all of our sin

 

We may feel others are judging us that they must know our sin but they don’t! God is looking at our hearts too…how do you think David was a man after God’s own heart with all he did…Every major figure except for Jesus failed…

 

God is looking at your heart so don’t live under guilt and condemnation

 

– repent of what you need to

– ask forgiveness

– walk in freedom

 

we are a judgment free zone especially when we live…

 

1 Corinthians 11:31,32

But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32 Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

 

If you simply check your heart on a regular basis you will live in a judgment free zone. If you feel the Lord is judging you, it is because he wants you to look at yourself and he loves you enough to bring conviction. So unless you feel the Lord putting his hand on something in your life walk in freedom in a judgment free zone

 

Like planet Fitness, one price has been paid for us all so we might live judgment free sinner or saint so we would all know and live the love of God

 

2nd thing about a planet Fitness is everywhere you look in their gym it states…”YOU BELONG”

 

– You Belong

 

John writes this in 1:12

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

 

Notice nowhere does it say you have to be completely mature, have all your ducks in a row, be sin free, be perfect or even be just like me

 

We will work on that the whole maturity thing in time, but for now regardless of where in life someone is…if they have made a commitment to Christ they are part of the family…..if they are not we want them to feel so loved by each of us that they want to become part of the family

 

Judging others

 

If someone is walking through our church doors they should feel that it is a safe place a judgment free zone where they can feel the presence of God, and see His love in the people around. They may be the exact opposite of someone we would easily accept as a friend but we have to trust that the Holy Spirit brought them through our door…if they know Him they will grow if they don’t our love for them will draw them in…we can’t sit in the seat of judgment

 

God didn’t send his son to condemn the world but that the world might be saved…how will that happen if all they feel is judgment.

 

Judging ourselves

 

What this means for you is that you belong regardless of this weeks failures, regardless of what others may say or infer…you are part of the family and God keeps His promises

 

Jeremiah 31:3

Long ago the Lord said:

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.

With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

 

Am I preaching a sloppy grace this morning an easy believism?

 

No, I am focusing in on what Jesus did with the woman caught in the act of adultery or Zacchaeus

 

John 8:10,11

Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

 

The first thing Jesus did was love the woman, poured grace and mercy on her…she was guilty, a sinner, broken, not necessarily repentant until….Jesus… the love of Jesus touched this woman’s heart she no longer felt condemned she felt love and knowing that very real love she knew she belonged and he was able to reach her and say “neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more…repentance complete, love won, sinner turned saint…outwardly still dressed the same but inwardly changed by love

 

Zaccheus

 

Luke 19

When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

 

What did Jesus say to this sinner, this thief, liar, hypocrite, scum of the earth, traitor to his own people and race….remember a past sermon where I shared the meaning of I will be a guest in your home?

 

It meant Jesus was saying to him, I want to engage in a deep friendship with you, I love you!

 

Zacchaeus response…verse 8

Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

 

Jesus response…

9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

 

How are we to find the lost..to actively seek them…so they might be saved if we are judging them or they see us constantly judging one another

 

No one here is perfect I am not asking us to ignore trouble areas, sin areas, deceit, failures or danger but I am asking that everything you do, every attitude you have toward your family here or those who are not yet your family is love

 

Love wins every time…yes we deal with sin here…yes we recognize brokenness, hypocrisy but we don’t shame people into repentance…we don’t judge people we compare their actions and attitudes to God’s word and if they don’t line up we recognize we too are sinner’s saved by grace that can be tempted by the same things or worse and we lift them up, love them to the truth, disciple them into freedom

 

Where are you today?

 

Do you spend most of your time judging others because perhaps you secretly feel they are better than you or worse than you? Have you allowed your insecurity or prejudice to rob you of God’s love for others?

 

Come to the altar this morning and allow the love of God to flood you with His love and heal your brokenness. A price has been paid for you and you belong…you are here so you are family

 

Maybe you are on the other side Do you feel condemned, rejected something happened somewhere that you allowed into your soul that crushes you every time. It may hurt to have relationships, it may hurt to see others happy…Come and receive healing, deliverance this morning…if you have a relationship with Jesus, you are family and you belong.

 

Maybe today you don’t have a relationship with Jesus maybe you came here perhaps expecting to be judged