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

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Spirit of the Lord is on us!

The Spirit of God is on us to set us free and bring freedom to others

——————————————————————————-

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.”

 

The Holy Spirit of God is upon the Son of God they are one. The role of the Son is to show us the Father, to take on the sin of the world, to ever intercede for us at the right hand of the Father.

The role of the Holy Spirit, in this case, is to anoint us to preach the good news, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, set free the oppressed and to proclaim God’s favor

Let me ask you…Does the Holy Spirit dwell in and with you?

If so, then this is our purpose, our call also….because the Holy Spirit is the same yesterday today and forever too

But before we can make this happen for others the Lord has to do it for and in us.

For today’s purposes I need to share this part of the teaching today first and then we will continue with worship

1) Healing the brokenhearted when The Holy Spirit spoke these words originally through Isaiah He really was talking to many people today.

 

The word broken hearted means splintered, shattered, fractured by life with a divorce rate that has been at a steady 50% for more than 4 decades and in the last 20 years the increase of “families” without the commitment of marriage and with the redefining of marriage Moms and dads were created each for a unique purpose and needed in the health of a child. Single moms and Dad’s all do an amazing job but there is still a need for both parents to be healthy or the impact we can see will be splintered and shattering of personalities

 

Ministry opportunity flash….if your children are grown you can help by being a grandparent and a surrogate parent to some of our families that are headed by a single parent…they could use the love and support from you

 

With so many children being exposed to substance abuse and physical and verbal abuse in the home.

 

So many, primarily women, being abused in the homes

So many abandoned by their Fathers

So many parents not parenting anymore but instead choosing to be their child’s friend this too causes a splintering

The Lord knew this would cause brokenness in many individuals because of the family

The word “heal” here means to set free or loosen as in to set someone free from the effects of the shattering or splintering…the Holy Spirit’s job is to release us from the effects completely of the pain of rejection, abuse, neglect and bring us to a place where we each feel totally loved, accepted, believed in, and healed

If we can receive this then we can do this for others

If this is you please come and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you as we continue on in worship

—————————————————————————–

The Spirit of God is on us to set us free and bring freedom to others

 

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.”

 

2) We need to understand when Jesus is reading “preach the Gospel to the poor” what it means

 

– We have received a good and joyful message

– We believe this message and are living the message

– We see everyone else in light of this message

– We recognize anyone who doesn’t know or hasn’t heard this message is poor of spirit, heart, and will

The Holy Spirit has been poured out on us so that we might have the power to be His witnesses Acts 1:8

What Gospel are people seeing and hearing from us if you are just a miserable and hopeless as the world why would anyone what to hear anything from you?

I shared about brokenhearted already so onto the next part

3) “Liberty to the captives” – this is a funny phrase because it is the picture of a prisoner of war being brought out to freedom

When person was captured as a prisoner of war, Roman soldiers would tie their hands behind their back and a spear was shoved into their ribs…they had this sharp pain constantly in their back or side that is the literal translation of the word captives

When we are held captive by a sin, a mindset, a fear, a way of thinking, it is always right there eating at us Jesus has already proclaimed “FREEDOM” over each and every one of us.

Our minds can be totally set free, released from every harassing thought that has possessed us, the things that have controlled us in shame, guilt, fear, anxiety, and worry.

You can not set people free if you are not free yourself…the full immersion in the Holy Spirit can do this for you and then you can quickly discern that in others and God will set them free through you.

4) Recovery of sight to the blind – Jesus is the light of the world and he challenged us to be the light of the world to those in darkness

– people are in darkness because of their pain, their prejudice, their fears, their wounds, their ignorance, anger, rejection the Holy Spirits desire is for their eyes to be open to see the light God has for them so they can be in freedom

– of course, this also means literal healing of blind eyes but is not limited, as Jesus ministry was not limited to opening blind eyes but all kinds of healing

If the Spirit of the sovereign Lord is on you, Jesus promised we will lay hands on the sick and people will recover (Mark 16:18)

5) To set at liberty those who are oppressed

 

I had talked about this last week this has two meanings

 

– oppressed means to be pressed, pushed down or against, pressured

– it also means to be bruised like a stubbed toe

we can feel so pressed, burdened that everything is skewed by that pressure and we don’t even realize it.

The bruising is like a place in your head or heart that people keep hitting and every time they do it hurts you like the stubbed toe

6) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord actually a more accurate translation would be the year of the Lord’s favor

 

– God’s favor means blessings in every way as you might suspect

– it also means

– rest

– joy

– answers to the questions

– insight and understanding into His word and character

– deep, intimate relationship

– the peace and assurance to know that nothing can or will happen to you apart from God

 

It doesn’t mean that you won’t go through struggles and trials but you can have the confidence God is with you.

All of this comes because we know the Lord and are filled with his Spirit.

All of this the Lord wants to do in us as the church and as I feel the Lord releasing me…like he did with broken-hearted today and oppressed last week (and this week by the way if you missed it)

If he does it in us first then we can bring this freedom to others.

Today if you have never been filled with the Holy Spirit or need a fresh infilling we are going to pray for you.

How do you know you have been filled with the Holy Spirit?

– Do you have a prayer language,

– Have you prophesied,

– Do you have real desire to share the Gospel these are generally some of the more normal signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit?

These are the “signs” we see in scripture for the fullness of the Spirit. When you are filled you natural desire is to want people to know the freedom you know

Please come

 

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?