Freedom in Christ

Date: 2003

Location: RIFC. Frederick, MD

John 8:31-34

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. ³⁵ Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

When Jesus came he came to set us free.

Free from what?

1. Free from sin and its effect, its curse.

Romans 6:18-23

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹ What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1-2

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

2. Free from religious bondage

The Work of the Spirit brings freedom – liberty – not bondage.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

But many will try to put you in bondage, even your own thinking will put you in bondage.

Colossians 2:6-8

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2:20-23

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: ²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. ²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Our freedom in Christ holds to different standards than the world, or religion.

Our freedom is a life that:

• Lives to give not get.
• A life that forgives and not hold offences.
• A life that accepts rather than rejects
• A life that is not bound to any kingdom of this world but the Kingdom of God which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

But some are still in the cage of bondage even though the door is open.

They think they are still under the dominion of sin.

Of religion

Of pleasing man and his religious systems

In Christ you are no longer obligated to a religious system – but freedom in Christ to follow him by his Spirit.

John 3:5-8

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

We are like the wind!

How can you cage the wind?

Remember – freedom is not our ultimate goal, but the opportunity that freedom in Christ gives us to live as he meant for us to live.

In fact some are very insecure in that realm of freedom and quickly construct a cage around themselves again in order to feel secure or “at home.”

Like Israel and Egypt – even though they had been brought out of bondage, they wanted to go back for the comforts, the familiar territory.  They were willing to enter back into bondage because they were more comfortable there then in freedom.

Freedom does not bring us into a place of comfort – but usually to a place of fellowship and relationships that may bring pain because we become vulnerable.

But we must trust in the Lord rather than man.

We need to be free!

How do we react with this freedom?

Some take their liberty and go in a relationship with the Lord that becomes deeper and more powerful every day.

Others may blame others for the pain they are experiencing and may leave the cage empty and resentful, more lost in freedom than when they were in the cage!

So they build a new cage, and set up a new counterfeit religious experience and paradigm – but still missing the freedom we have in Christ.

Or, they pull away from all fellowship and become full of complacency and religion, bitter and alone.

We need to find that freedom outside the cage – outside of the box we have set ourselves in.

It may be disorienting at first – because living outside the cage, the box is different! What worked in the cage doesn’t work outside the cage!

To live in freedom, we need to learn a new way of living.

A few things to help you live outside the box – the cage:

1. Relax – this is God’s Work.

The bondage of religious obligation says “It’s all up to you.”

If God isn’t doing what You want – you have to work harder, pray more, stand firmer.

The focus is on you and your performance.

Outside the cage you performance, your best efforts will not accomplish God’s work.

Depend on him – not flesh.

What happens?

Instead of manipulating God – you rest as he works through you.

You trust his love more than your ability to fix things.

You rely on God alone for your spiritual nourishment and realize that if you depend on another for that nourishment you are back in the cage!

2. Give Up Your Illusion of Control

When you made Jesus Lord – he kept his end of the deal. The only amount of control you think you have is an illusion!

Yes – there is sowing and reaping, consequences for sin – but God is still in control!

Your scheming and manipulating never produce the results you expect.

When you realize He is in control – you are free to live in His purposes instead of your own.

3. Live for His Approval

The reason religious systems work is because they have an ability to exploit people’s desire to be accepted.

When you go with the program – you are awarded with approval.

When you don’t you are shunned, gossiped about or overlooked.

The desire to have people’s approval will eat up our passion for freedom in Christ as we focus on what people think rather than what God thinks.

Galatians 1:10

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

When you are set free from the cage – get ready for those around you to want to pull you back in with guilt manipulation and religious obligations.

Those still bound thinking freedom is in the cage – it is not!

4. Learn Grace in Opposition

Jesus said if we follow him others will speak against us, lie about us, and even exclude us.

You most likely won’t be stoned, but those in the cage will consider you dangerous, deceived and rebellious.

It does hurt! – But God knows how to comfort.

Remember – as long as you are reacting to something, you are being controlled by it!

5. Let Guilt Die

How do you feel when you say no to a religious obligation? – guilt?

Even if you know you have made the right decision guilt can gnaw at you.

If you are not careful, you will be led around by the desire not to feel guilty.

Guilt is manipulation and those who are religious will use it as a motivation.

You must let guilt die.

You also will realize that those who help you grow most in the Lord will never pile condemnation on you when you disappoint them, but will help you up.

Guilt drives sin into the closet rather than to the cross. When sin is in the closet it is most destructive!

6. Savor the Story

God wants us to know him.

What he is like, how he thinks, so that we can truly know him.

It does us no good if we know his Word but never know Him.

The Bible is not merely an owner’s manual with rules to be followed.

It is not a pile of proof texts to wage doctrinal wars.

It is the story of God making His reality known in the brokenness of our world.

We must grow up and feed ourselves, enjoy the feast he has prepared!

7. Be aggressive about cultivating relationships

Be ready to be used of the Lord among those who are around you every day.

As you are a blessing to those around you, you will discover that there are many around you who have been set free.  Make an effort to fellowship together.

8. Live Life! Rather than filling up on meetings.

Real community is a gift God gives out of growing friendships, not hat w can produce by methods or programs.

You cannot create it! We can only recognize it as God builds community around us.

Are meetings bad? No

But if they do not foster community – a gathering – a calling of the believers together in Christ – they are worthless and merely religious icons.

The best gatherings are those that emerge out of relationships where people are learning to share their walk with Jesus together.

9. Don’t Despise the Struggle

It is not easy living outside the cage of religious obligation and tradition, but the freedom is worth it.

What happens when you help a butterfly out of its cocoon?

You kill it!

God had designed the struggle of getting free from the cocoon so that when she is free, she will be able to fly.

Our struggles are similar – they draw us deeper into a relationship to him.

It is scary when all the props are gone – all that we have depended upon in the past to hang our religious identity on – but our identity needs to be Christ – not religion!

Share old illustration of church compared to a play or show – back stage  – audience

Now,

There is no show, no play, no back stage, no audience!

Outside the cage it is reality! Real life!

A life of freedom, of friendship with Jesus, a life of becoming what God wants you to be outside that cage.

Learn to live every day in the simplicity of relationship we have with Christ, free for him to take you where you have never been before!

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GOD IS RAISING AN ARMY!

Date: July 1992

Location: West Chester, PA

Article for The Daily Local News

These are days of “rumors of peace” throughout the world, many are waiting with great anticipation for a mighty move of peace and tranquility. Although this may seem to be a panacea and an impossibility, I would like to proclaim to you that it will be a fact! But only through the direct leadership of the King of Kings Jesus Christ who will return in the same manner in which he left (ACTS 1) to rule the earth as the Prince of Peace. Until then there will be warfare! There will be wars between nations, and the war against the Kingdom of Darkness.

The warfare I mention today is not the one with bullets and atom bombs, or foreign policy treaties that are held together by threats and fear, but a warfare that God has called every Christian to be committed too. A warfare against the Kingdom of Darkness. In II Timothy 2:3-4; the Apostle Paul writes: “Endure hardship like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer.”  The Word of God compares the life of a Christian to that of a soldier; a soldier who is not distracted from anything that is not his responsibility.

A good soldier knows to follow his commanding officer. The Christian’s commanding officer is the Lord Jesus Christ. Dedication to the Lordship of Jesus Christ as commander and chief is unfortunately an unpopular subject and tony an option. Many say as Wilber Reese did in his satirical poem:

“I’d like to by about $3.00 worth of God, Not enough to disturb my soul or sleep, but just enough to make me feel good and meet my simple needs. Not enough to make me love those I hate or that I am prejudice against; But enough to give me ecstasy- Not transformation! The warmth of a womb – not new birth!”

Does this sound like you? You can’t get a limited “measure of God” you either receive all of Him or none!  One of the reasons we have trouble following God is that we are looking for what we can get rather that what God wants us to do! An effective soldier always looks for the orders of his commander. If you join an Army for what you can get out of it, you will quickly find a way out!  A Christian automatically becomes a soldier of the Lord. A number of months ago in one of our prayer meetings a word of exhortation was spoken prophetically to the church.

The message from the Lord was: “I am raising up a new generation. A generation of believers who are not stained by the tradition, the religion, or the doctrines of men from former generations, but a new generation that will rise up like a mighty army, committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. The previous generation will no longer hinder my work, for this new generation will greatly outnumber them, for many are waiting in homes, in schools, and in universities around us to hear the gospel so that they may respond to my word in faith and be born into my kingdom as a new generation. Therefore, I am calling you to prepare for harvest.  You must be ready! It is not the right time to prepare for births when the babies begin to come, but before they arrive.

You my people will serve as a mid-wife to this new generation and will teach them by my Spirit. This new generation will exceed beyond the churches, the fellowships, the denominations; their number will be much greater.  And I will send them out into the world with my word and they will reach nations that do not know me. They will reach cultures that do not know me.  They will be my army.”

My question to you today is are you ready to serve?  Are you ready to enlist in the army of God? Are you willing to totally abandon yourself into the arms of a holy, powerful, just, and merciful God?  Anything short of that is treason in God’s Army!

If you are not a member of the new generation of reformers made bold by the power of the Holy Spirit; today is your day of enlistment. Go before the Lord and repent of your sins, ask for His forgiveness, confess Him as your Lord and as your Savior, acknowledge His resurrection and you will be Born Again – redeemed – enlisted in the army of God!

You may already be a Christian but serving God for what you can get for yourself, therefore your commitment is on a shaky foundation (Matt.2:7) Or you may have considered your relationship with God as a personal private matter.  God is calling His Church to be militant against the Kingdom of Darkness, false doctrines, the ego of man and the idolatry of our age. This day God is calling you out to serve without compromise. Choose this day whom you will serve; life or death? Blessing or Cursing?  Choose life!

Submitted and Published in the Daily Local News, West Chester, PA

July 1992

 

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES

Date: December 5, 1998

Location: HYCC, Thailand

Luke 1:5-17; 24-38

1. Introduction

Turn to Malachi is the last book if the Old Testament. (hold your place there)

• Malachi reminded the Jews that God’s promised Deliverer would come to save them.
• He also told them that, before the Deliverer came, God would send another prophet.
• This prophet’s work would be to teach the people so that they would be ready for the coming Savior.

After Malachi, however four hundred years passed during which God did not speak through any prophet – this often referred to as the “silent years.”

Quietly unnoticed by most men, God was making vast preparations for the fulfillment of His great promises to send a Savior for the whole world.

• He made the Greek language common to many parts of the world.
• He linked distant cities with the Roman roads.
• He dispersed His people to many different countries where they build synagogues and taught from His word.

The time had come.

God was ready to do what He had promised in the garden:

Genesis 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you wills strike his heal.”

The fulfillment of the promise begins with the story of an elderly Jewish couple who believed God and were awaiting for the fulfillment of His promises.

•  God promised that Zacharias and Elizabeth would have a son.

• Theme: Man must have faith in order to please God and be saved
• Theme: Man can come to God only according to God’s will and plan.

Luke 1:5,6 – In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.

Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were Jews who trusted God and believed His Word.

• They offered sacrifices at the temple, just as God had commanded Moses.
• Because the trusted in God and came to Him the way He had told them, God accepted them just as He had accepted Able and all the others who had trusted Him from the beginning of the world.

Luke 1:7 – But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

Both Zacharias and Elizabeth were now old, but they had never been able to have children.

Luke 1:8-10 – Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Zacharias was one of the priests in the temple at Jerusalem.

• Theme: God communicates with man.

Listen to what happened to Zacharias while he was doing his work as a priest at the temple.

Luke 1:11-14 – Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

God’s angel promised Zacharias a son and told him he must name his son John.

• John was given the work of preparing the way for the Deliverer.

• Theme: God is everywhere all the time: He knows everything.
• Theme: God is faithful, He never changes.

Luke 1:15-17 – for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

The Lord know all about Zacharias’ son even before Elizabeth became pregnant.

• Everything is known to God before it ever happens.
• God knew all about us, too, before our parents knew we would be born! 

Psalm 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

God had foretold about Zacharias’ son John, through the prophet Malachi.

Not only did God foretell many things through His prophets, but everything that He promised, He also fulfilled.

Malachi 3:1 – “See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

Four hundred years before John was born, God told Malachi to write this about God’s messenger, John!

• Theme: Jesus Christ is God

Zacharias’ son would be a prophet who would prepare the people to receive the coming Deliverer.

The angel said that Zacharias’ son, John, would go ahead of the Deliverer to prepare a way for Him.

The angel called the coming Deliverer “the Lord.”

The coming Deliverer, the Saviour of men, was to be God Himself!

Luke 1:24,25  After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Elizabeth knew that God was the one who had made it possible for her to conceive.

• She was very thankful and happy.
• In those days, the Jewish people looked down on couples who weren’t able to have any children.
• Now Zacharias and Elizabeth were going to have a son in their old age.

• God Promised Mary a Son.

• Theme: God is faithful; He never changes.

It was now God’s time to fulfill all of His promises regarding the Deliverer.

Listen to what God says:

• Theme: God communicates with man.

Luke 1:26-31 – In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

God sent an angel to tell a virgin named Mary that God had chosen her to be the mother of the Deliverer.

Mary was just an ordinary young woman who, although she was a sinner, trusted in God to send the Deliverer.

• Theme: God is supreme and sovereign.

God chose Mary to be the mother of the Deliverer because  God does whatever He wants to do.  He is sovereign.  He does not ask anyone or have to answer to anyone for what He does.

• Theme: God is faithful; He never changes
• Theme: God is loving, merciful, and gracious.

Mary’s son was to be the promised Deliverer.

His name was to be Jesus, which means Savior or Deliverer.

God had never forgotten His promise to send a Deliverer.

God loved the whole world, and He wanted sinners to be delivered from the punishment they deserve.

• Mary’s Son Would be Both Man and the Son of God.

• Theme: Jesus Christ is God.
• Theme: Jesus Christ is Man.

The angel Gabriel also told Mary some amazing things about her future son.

Luke 1:32 – He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,

Mary’s son was not only to be truly her son, but He would also be the Son of the Highest, the is, the Son of God.

Isaiah 9:6,7 – For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

Six hundred years earlier, God had announced these things to His prophet Isaiah.

As the Son of God, Jesus had many names.

Jesus is his name as a man – His human name.

Remember, there is only one God. God is revealed to us as three persons who are equal in every way. 

These three, who are the one God. Are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit never had a body as we humans do. 

God is Spirit and doesn’t have a human body.  But the Savior had to be a human being just as we are – except that He must be sinless.

So that God’s plan about the Deliverer could be fulfilled, God the Son had to be born as a human being.

God chose Mary to be the mother of the Deliverer. 

The Deliverer who was the God the Son, had to come down from Heaven to be born on the earth as the child of Mary.  Mary’s son would be both God and man in one body.

This son, Jesus, would be fully God and fully man!

• Theme: God is faithful; He never changes

Furthermore, the angel told Mary that because the Deliverer would be a direct descendent of David the king, He was to be king over Israel.

He was to be king forever!

Luke 1:32-33 – He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

God was going to do what He had promised King David.

God Keeps His Promises!

• Jesus, the Deliverer, would not have a human father.

Luke 1:34  – “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

Mary could not understand how she could have a child who wouldn’t have a human father.

Luke 1:35 – The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

The angel said that God the Holy Spirit would perform the miracle.

• Theme: Jesus Christ is Holy and righteous.
• Theme: Jesus Christ is God.

Because Jesus would be born without a human father, He would be born sinless.

No descendent of Adam is holy and righteous.

• Every person in the world inherited Adam’s sin.
• We are all sinners because the sin of Adam was passed down to us.;

But Jesus’ father was God.

• God is perfect and holy, without sin.
• Jesus was the perfect Son of God, holy and sinless!

• Theme: God is all powerful.

Luke 1:36-37 – Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

It was impossible for a virgin to have a child, just as it was impossible for Elizabeth, the mother of John, to have a child in her old age. Nevertheless, with God all things are possible. God can do anything!

God created the first man Adam, out of the dust of the ground, and God gives life to every person. It was not difficult for God to give this child to Mary without the baby having a human father. And neither was it hard for God to give Elizabeth a child in her old age. 

God can do anything!

• Theme: Man must have faith in order to please God and be saved.

Luke 1:38 – “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Mary trusted the Lord and accepted that it was God’s will for her to be the mother of the Saviour.

Conclusion:

Who was this Saviour to be?   Jesus

• The one announced in the Garden of Eden
• Descendent of David
• The Saviour
• The holy Son of God
• God the Son
• God in a human body – the holy, sinless Son, of the holy, sinless God.

Nothing is impossible for God – even in your life!

 

GOD WANTS YOU

Date: July 12, 1992

Location: Believers Fellowship, West Chester, PA

Your nation wants you in the military.

Highly qualified ‑ smart – industrious.

You have to pass certain tests to become a member of the military.

You have to pass a physical exam, you can’t have a criminal record

Thousands of young people join the military, and we think that is quite normal ‑

Many of you are planning or have already been a part of the armed forces in our nation.

We don’t consider it strange.

But what if God decided to call together an army?

Not an army of soldiers equipped with earthly weapons, but with his power and authority?

Would we think that to be strange?

God wants you to serve in his forces ‑ the army of his Kingdom!

What’s the criteria?

Same as any nation? (see above)

No!  God is looking for bad men not good men!

God is looking for those with no qualifications in religion or tradition.

Not smart, but ignorant of the things we would think to be important to God.

Not industrious, but lazy when it comes to things of this life.

You can fail the Bible knowledge test, your physical , mental and spiritual examination ‑ your life can be in a wreck ‑ and God even loves those who have broken the law to join his army!

Are you in that number?

You say ‑ “not me! ‑ I’m glad I’m not like that!  I believe that God wants to use me because I am a good person, smart, healthy, righteous, I pray and read the bible!  I’m glad I’m not like the bad, the ignorant, the lazy, the law breaker, the unhealthy!”

Luke 18:9‑14  ⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ ¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ ¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Who is God looking for?

The repentant sinner ‑ justified by God!

God is building an army.

An army of repentant sinners ‑ justified by God to storm hell’s territory he’s not going to use religious leaders ‑ hypocrites ‑ those who look down on the needy, but those who know their weaknesses  and fall on Jesus Christ for mercy and strength!

God is in the army building business today!

And he is calling you to join!

Joshua 7:1‑25  But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. ² Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. ³ When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there.” ⁴ So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, ⁵ who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. ⁷ And Joshua said, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! ⁸ O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? ⁹ The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

¹⁰ The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. ¹² That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

¹³ “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it. ¹⁴ “ ‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the Lord takes shall come forward clan by clan; the clan that the Lord takes shall come forward family by family; and the family that the Lord takes shall come forward man by man. ¹⁵ He who is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done a disgraceful thing in Israel!’ ”

¹⁶ Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was taken. ¹⁷ The clans of Judah came forward, and he took the Zerahites. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was taken. ¹⁸ Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. ¹⁹ Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” ²⁰ Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: ²¹ When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

²² So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. ²³ They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord. ²⁴ Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. ²⁵ Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.

God is putting together an army to defeat the demonic forces in your lives, the lives a people around you and throughout this area!

Not bound by men’s traditions.

By their own understandings, own strengths, but bound to God!

An army of men & women who know they are sinners who depend totally on God and his strength rather than their own.

A people who are careful because they know their weaknesses ‑ And ready to fight the enemies of God!

A people who believe God at his word!

Mark 16:17‑18 … “And these sign will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out devils, they will speak with new tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands, and when they drink deadly poison it will not harm them at all, they place their hands on the sick people and they will get well.”

What must I do to be a part of that army of believers?

We must realize that Jesus Christ came to earth to take care of our sins ‑ Weaknesses, he took the penalty for sin by dying on the cross for all of us so that we would not have the guilt of sin over us, but now we can have life!

First you must realize that God loves you:

John 3:16 ” for God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

John 10:10 …”I come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly!”

Second you must accept the fact that you are a sinner:

Romans 3:23  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Third, you must realize that his sin separates you from God and causes you to be “spiritually dead” in your sin.

Romans 6:23  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.”

Fourth, you must believe that Jesus Christ died for you so that you would not have to remain spiritually dead, but be made alive in Christ.

Romans 5:6‑8  “You see at just the right time when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly … But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Acts 16:30,31  “…Sirs what must I do to be saved?  They replied, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

Fifth, You must accept that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, the only way of salvation.

John 14:6  “Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.”

1 Timothy 2:5  “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.”

Sixth, You must repent, turn from your sin and except Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Acts 3:19  “Repent then and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out..”

Romans 10:9,10  “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe him in your heart that God raised him from the dead, You will be saved, for it is with the heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with the mouth that you confess you are saved.”

You must also realize that God will give you the ability, the power to obey and follow him.

John 1:12  “To all who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become the Sons of God.”

Are you ready to be part of this army?

The people of God?

Then come to Jesus,

Jesus said John 6:37  “whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”

 

CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHT LIFE

Date: January 4, 1992

Location: Believers Fellowship, West Chester, PA

Psalm 94:11 – “The Lord knows the thoughts of man, he knows that they are futile.”

Ephesians 4:17 -“So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.”

What are your thoughts?

What do we say to yourself?

Many times our thoughts to ourself come automatic, and they are destructive!

What we think or say to ourself will govern the way we feel or act.

“That person doesn’t like me”

So, we avoid them or begin to dislike them.

“She must think I am stupid” so we try to prove we are smart, and become defensive.

Just because a thought “pops” into our mind doesn’t make it true!

Other phrases that pop into our minds are:

I should have…

I ought to….

I must….

And we become ruled by every thought that enters our minds rather than the Word of God!

We are not to be held captive by our own thoughts, but we are to capture our thoughts and make them obedient and submissive to God.

Let’s face it, our minds left to themselves are distorted and sick!

We have developed patterns of thinking over the years that will cause us to behave sinful as well as make us sick.

For example:

1. We may see things in a specific, narrow way. Someone compliments you on a project you’ve completed and gives you suggestions to improve what you did next time. Your mind ignores the praise and openly considers the suggestion as criticism. When we expect to hear the worst – we usually do.

• We see things in extremes. Either bad or good, no middle ground. “Just one mistake – that’s it! He blew, I’ll never trust him again!”

• We over generalize. If it happened once it will happen again. We become fatalistic.

• We assume we know what people are thinking.

“I know he doesn’t like me, he didn’t eat any of the food I brought.”

“They don’t want to come, so why invite them.”

Our conclusions are based on a thought – how dangerous!

• We make mountains out of molehills.

“Well, what if …”

“Our neighbor was robbed, what if we get robbed?”

• Everything is my fault.

Someone in your family is sad or upset and you say: “It must be my fault” “what did I do to cause him to feel that way?”

When someone makes a general statement about people, you say to yourself: “She means me!”

• If is feel this way it must be true!

If I feel guilty, I must have done something wrong. Your feelings will deceive you!

• It’s never my fault.

“He made me angry”, “She hurt me”

Or

“It’s always my fault”.

• You have set up a standard that is inflexible, correct, indisputable and absolute.

Therefore everyone should know what you know and act like you act!

They should have… or when you fail, I should have…

Or

I am always right, and you must prove it regardless of other opinions.

How do we stop these destructive thoughts?

Some suggestions:

1. Ask yourself – what is the evidence for my conclusion? Am I confusing thought with fact?

• Pray – commune with the Lord

Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

• Read God’s word.

Renew your mind.

Philippians 4:8-9,11,13; “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received form me, or seen in me, out into practice. And the God of peace will be with you….  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances …  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Ephesians 4:22-25; “You were taught with regard to your former way of life to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, or we are all members of one body.”

Romans 12:2; “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Colossians 3:1-2; “Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

The most solid, eternal righteous thought we can have, or words that we can speak to ourself is God’s Word!

2 Timothy 3:16,17; “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Hebrews 4:12; “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any doubled edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and the attitudes of the heart.”

• Keep a journal.

At the end of the day, write down your thoughts on the day, you will find that you will test your thoughts before you write them down and bring them into submission to God’s word.  Thus renewing your mind!

Conclusion:

The thoughts we have, can bring life or destruction.  Conform your thoughts to God’s word and have life!

Amen

 

EVERY MOTHER’S DREAM: GIVE YOUR CHILD MEANING!

Date: May 13, 1990

Location: Believers Fellowship, West Chester, PA

What do you dream for your child?

What are your expectations of your children?

What do your parents expect of you?

What are some things that you have dreamed about doing?

These are popular questions, they affect us.

What your parents expect of you affects your life, your decisions.

What you dream what you desire, what you hope to accomplish in life effects your direction and well-being.

Eccl. 1:14 ; “I have seen all things that are done under the sun, all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

Do you believe this?

Picture a man up on a hill chasing after gusts of wind trying to capture it … first it seems playful and fun but as life goes on and this man is chasing the wind throughout all his life – what a tragedy!

This man has spent his life with no purpose, no meaning, no hope.

Mother’s – you have a responsibility to teach your child not to chase after the wind!  (father’s too!)

1. LET’S LOOK CLOSER AT THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES AND SEE THIS REAL-LIFE SCENARIO IN THE LIFE OF SOLOMON:

Chapter one:

Eccl 1:1-11 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: ² “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” ³ What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? ⁴ Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. ⁵ The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. ⁶ The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. ⁷ All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. ⁸ All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. ⁹ What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. ¹⁰ Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. ¹¹ There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

V.1-11 everything is meaningless!     everything is without significance!

Eccl 1:12-18 ¹² I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! ¹⁴ I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. ¹⁵ What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. ¹⁶ I thought to myself, “Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷ Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. ¹⁸ For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

V. 12 – 18 Wisdom is meaningless what kind of wisdom?

Certainly not the wisdom we find in the book of Proverbs!  That’s God’s wisdom!

There are two kinds of wisdom –

James 3:13-18  ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

World’s wisdom – earthly, unspiritual, demonic, it causes envy, selfish ambition, disorder and evil practices.

God’s wisdom – pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

You can’t chase after God’s wisdom – it becomes folly! Meaningless

Chapter two

Eccl 2:1-8 I thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. ² “Laughter,” I said, “is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?” ³ I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

⁴ I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. ⁵ I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. ⁸ I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man.

V.1-8 Pleasures are meaningless.

“Are we having fun yet?”

Eccl 2:9-16  ⁹ I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me. ¹⁰ I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. ¹¹ Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. ¹²        Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done? ¹³ I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. ¹⁴ The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both. ¹⁵ Then I thought in my heart, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also. What then do I gain by being wise?” I said in my heart, “This too is meaningless.” ¹⁶ For the wise man, like the fool, will not be long remembered; in days to come both will be forgotten. Like the fool, the wise man too must die!

V. 9-16  Success is meaningless.

There have been many who have achieved success and ended up destroyed by drug addiction and moral collapse.

There is the story of a minister who had everything he wanted. 

– A large church, one that needed him and used him well.  It was a place of security and financial blessing.  It couldn’t have planned it more picture perfect.  He had worked hard to get to where he was and he had worked hard to get to the pinnacle of success even in the eyes of his community.

Yet he was suffering from anxiety attacks, he regularly took tranquilizers to help him make it through the worships service, and he went through the week on “cruise control”.

Eccl 2:17-26  ¹⁷ So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. ¹⁸ I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. ¹⁹ And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. ²⁰ So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. ²¹ For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. ²² What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? ²³ All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.

²⁴ A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵ for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ²⁶ To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

V.17-26   Work is meaningless.

What does it count for?

Usually if you look for meaning in your work it produces ulcers, high blood pressure, stress and nervous disorders!

Chapter three

Eccl 3:18-22  ¹⁸ I also thought, “As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. ¹⁹ Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. ²⁰ All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. ²¹ Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?” ²² So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

V.18-22 – No meaning except things as they are and just make the most of life!

Chapter four –

Eccl 4:1-3 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. ² And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. ³ But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

V. 1-3 To even be born is meaningless!

It’s better not to even be alive – aborted!

Eccl 4:4-6  ⁴ And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. ⁵ The fool folds his hands and ruins himself. ⁶ Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.

V. 4-6 There is no meaning to keeping up with the Jones’s

Eccl 4:7-12 ⁷ Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: ⁸ There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless— a miserable business! ⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: ¹⁰ If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? ¹² Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

V. 7-12   Being alone is meaningless.

Article – In newspaper on career moms …

Eccl 4:13-16 ¹³ Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning. ¹⁴ The youth may have come from prison to the kingship, or he may have been born in poverty within his kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth, the king’s successor. ¹⁶ There was no end to all the people who were before them. But those who came later were not pleased with the successor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

V. 13-16 – Advancement is meaningless!

Chapter five:

Eccl 5:1-7 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. ² Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. ³ As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. ⁴ When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. ⁵ It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. ⁶ Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? ⁷ Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.

V.1-7 Dreaming and talking about your dreams is meaningless!

Eccl 5:8-17   ⁸ If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. ⁹ The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. ¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. ¹¹ As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them? ¹² The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. ¹³ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, ¹⁴ or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. ¹⁵ Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. ¹⁶ This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind? ¹⁷ All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.

Eccl 5:18-6:6  ¹⁸ Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him—for this is his lot. ¹⁹ Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. ²⁰ He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

6    I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men: ² God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. ³ A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. ⁴ It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. ⁵ Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— ⁶ even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

V. 18 – 6:6 – Better to be aborted than to be able to enjoy wealth!

It doesn’t matter what you do, dream desire, expect everything under the sun is meaningless and is just chasing the wind!

1. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED A STATE OF MEANINGLESSNESS?

What are some signs of an individual who is struggling with the conclusion that everything under the sun is meaningless?

1. Boredom -I’ve tried everything, what do I do now?

Boredom will cause us to search for excitement – what we will find is destruction!

• Anxiety – worry to the point of panic.  A sense that your life is out of control and there is nothing you can do about it.

• A thirst for something more – this will lead you to perversion and excessive behavior.

• Dependence – always going to others to point them to the area of life that will satisfy the need for meaning.

• Irresponsibility – if i have no meaning what does it matter?

I have no real responsibility!

• Lack of goals – all is futile, I’ll just vegetate till I die!

• Depression – no motivation in life to the point that it interrupts your daily routine and activities.

• Addiction – you need something to ease the pain of meaninglessness.

• Aggression – if I can’t be happy – neither can the world!

Meaninglessness is throughout our society.

Never have we had more depressed, addicted and violent society than we have now.

Public health service –

• 10% of America suffers from a identifiable depressive disorder.
• Over 10 million Americans are alcoholics.
• Leading cause of death between 16 – 25 is alcohol related car accidents.
• 33 million Americans over 12 have used illegal drugs.
• 25% of all homes were touched by crime in 1985, usually between family and friends.
• 1/3 of all violent crimes are done by friends or family.
• Between 1958 and 1982 587,821 people committed suicide, which is an average of 23,500 per year. According to the National Institute of health the average is now over 75,000 per year.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death in males between 25 & 45.
• More Vietnam veterans have died from suicide than from the war!

We live in troubled times!

A society that is without meaning!

1. WHAT ARE THE FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE MEANINGLESSNESS IN PEOPLES LIVES?

(From statistical surveys and clinical reports)

1. Choosing money over meaning – in 1967 over 83 % of all students chose “develop a  meaningful life” as their primary goal in life.  In 1984 this answer was chosen by 47%; 43% chose being well off financially as their primary goal in life.

• Lack of purpose – Nothing to live for, the pain is not worth it.  “A child may fall down and skin his knee, but when the fun starts again the pain vanishes.”

• Affluence – If anything should help, money should!

• Fear of nuclear annihilation – eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die!

• Pursuit of happiness – but we never get there.

• No clear definition of sin – right and wrong. The power of sin is not recognized.

• No sense of gratitude but, you owe me.

1. SO, WHAT DO WE DO?

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14  ¹³  Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. ¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

We have a duty – service, to fear God and obey him.

Unless we do this we are only chasing the wind.

Do you want to catch the wind?

Do you want your children to catch the wind?

We need to go to the center of the problem – sin.

As we address the sin problem in our lives or our children’s lives they will encounter a wind that they will never have to chase!

The Holy Spirit!  Wind from heaven

The cure for a meaningless life is a life that is in the Spirit!

Surrendered to God!  Under the lordship of Jesus Christ!

When you feel that your life is lacking in meaning – you are lacking in relationship with God and under the lordship of Jesus!

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is (or where the Spirit is Lord) there is liberty!” 2 Cor 3:17

II Cor 4:16-5:9  ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

5    Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. ² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. ⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it

 v.16 Wasting away – meaningless

v.18 What do we see? – We see what is under the sun!  Which is temporary!

What we see in the Spirit is eternal and full of meaning!

5:5 Our purpose …. Vessels of his Spirit!

We need to fear God more than anything this life can hand us!

We need to understand that we are totally dependent on God!

John 15:1-5  ¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

v. 1 – 2 What is the relationship of the vine to the gardener?

He trims off all that is meaningless!

Everything in our life that has no meaning, he prunes it out!

v. 3 This is done through his Word – you know what has meaning and purpose by God’s Word!

v. 4 You must remain in Jesus to bear fruit, or to remain meaningful!

How do you remain in Jesus?

 v.7 – His words will remain in you – you will be a doer of God’s Word!

v.5  See him as the vine, you as the branch.

Without that continual relationship you will be fruitless – meaningless.

All that you do apart from his Word and his purpose is nothing – worthless, meaningless without

 purpose!

• HOW DO YOU PREVENT MEANINGLESS FROM COMING INTO YOUR LIFE?

As a mother

A father

A child

What do you have to teach your children?

Yes to fear God and obey him – but how?

Realize that sin has produced to main problems in the world:

Lack of meaning in life and misery in life.

The gospel solves both of those problems:

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Phil 2:5 – “your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Why are you here?

What is your purpose?

Is there something you are supposed to do?

Be a servant!

Those without meaning serve those with misery and the gospel is fleshed out in the world!

Unless we become like God we will always feel meaningless, and if you try to be like God without fearing him you will destroy yourself!

That is why we must fear him (know who we are in relationship to who he is and be at awe of your observation)

And obey him (if we obey him, we will be like him)

To parents:

Are you teaching your children so that they have purpose and meaning?

Do you teach them to be servants?

Or do you serve them?

If you serve them, they will grow up without meaning.

• THINGS A PARENT CAN DO TO ESTABLISH PURPOSE IN THE LIFE OF THEIR CHILD:

1. Give them a job to do every day that helps someone else. Learn to be a servant.

By the time a child reaches teen years they should be able to do everything in the home you do.

• Teach them that your relationship as husband and wife comes first and they are second.

This shows them that the world does not center around them, but in their homelife it is around mom & dad.

In the same way our lives do not center around what we can get from God, but what God wants from us!

• Teach them to finish what they start – faithfulness.

This is a character trait of God!

• Teach them that obedience is not an option – be consistent in your discipline.  This will prepare them to obey God.

• Father’s never allow your children to show disrespect in any degree towards your wife.

This will teach them how to respect of fear God when they are older.

• Teach them the Word of God, by reading and doing.

• Teach them to be still and listen, this will help them to learn from God and hear him.  If a child cannot be controlled when they are 2-3 they will never be controlled!

• Never justify their sinful behavior due to circumstance (tired, young, like their father, brother etc).

Without an awareness of sin, there will be no repentance.

Justification only comes through repentance and forgiveness – not understanding!

Let them constantly be reminded of a need for a Savior and Lord!

What about you – do you have meaning – or are you stuck somewhere in Ecclesiastes?

It’s time to surrender to the Spirit led life and fear God and obey him!

Amen!

 

EXPECTING GOD TO DO HIS WILL

Date: January 11, 1992

Location: Believers Fellowship, West Chester, PA

EXPECTING GOD TO DO HIS WILL

What are our expectations when we gather together?

Should we have any?

What happened when the Church in the New Testament came together?

Sing hymns, prayer, teaching, worship -minister to the Lord, revelation, equipping -body ministry – Gifts of Spirit,  God would move shake the place – God would in some way manifest his presence – not always, but it did happen.

I Corinthians 14:26;

“When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.  All of these must be done for the strengthening of the Church.”

Not much else is said concerning the order of service, what we should do, expect, what form, or ritual should be established?

But we all come with some level of expectation –

What do you expect to happen?

…  (let congregation respond) …

Who is responsible to see that these expectations – assuming they are the right ones – are met?

The pastor? The worship leader? The elders?  The Congregation?

Who?

God!!!

Does God always meet your expectation?

Doesn’t God want to fulfill his Word?

If he does not fulfill his Word – why?

1. Problem:

• Wrong expectation?

Solutions:

• Stay within the biblical examples.
• Remember who is in charge.
• Are your expectations from him or a “sentimental journey” that you desire to go on?

2. Problem:

• Sin in the camp?

Solutions:

• Repentance – an attitude and an action.
• There will always be some level of sin in our midst.
  • That’s why God has given us grace and mercy
  • Jesus came to take the sin out of the camp, you can’t discipline it out.

3. Problem:

• Unbelief?  Lack of faith?
• I believe this is our greatest hindrance to seeing God fulfill his word in our midst.

Solution:

• Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
• Have you every tried to please God by your actions rather than your faith?
• By your knowledge rather than your faith?
• By your discipline rather than your faith?
• By your religion rather than your faith?

Faith is crucial – totally trusting God at his word even if god’s word is contrary to what you see!

Israel heard God, saw God, and followed his pillar of fire by night and his cloud by day and still did not believe the promise, therefore they did not enter into what god expected for them!

They did not mix what they heard with faith.

Faith is entering into and being obedient in regards to what God has said and expects to bring to pass!

“Because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists.”

Why are you here?

Because you plan on hearing from God?

Or some crazed preacher?

To fulfill a religious habit?

Are you really here because you believe God exists and you expect him to be here?

It is easy to take an unbeliever to a place where the existence of God is kept on a philosophical plane rather than experiential plan.

To experience God is too much for those who do not believe in him.

You cannot please God unless you at least believe that he exists!

Why do people who have faith, please God?

Because they believe he exists …

Yes, but what does it mean that he exists, demons believe God exists, do they please God?

no!

You believe him to the point that you must come to him!

It says: “anyone who comes to him must believe he exists!”

The word for come is many times translated – draw near, or approach, come boldly as in Hebrews. 4:16.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

Look at Enoch, he didn’t just believe God was up there somewhere, but fellowshipped with him!

And this pleased God so much, God took him to his house to live!

“And … He rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

If you have faith, you will believe he exists and seek him and then God will reward you!

What is meant by seek?

Literally the phrase is “those who seek him out” translated elsewhere – searched intently, sought with tears.

Reward?

The word literally means a wage.

When you seek God – diligently he will “pay us” what he has promised.

What has he promised to pay us?

What are our wages – our reward?

His promises!  His kingdom!  Our inheritance!

God has even given us a deposit of his reward – the Holy Spirit!

2 Corinthians 1:22;  “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Ephesians 1:14;  “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal , the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – the praise of his glory.”

What has God promised you!

The Holy Spirit – his presence!

When you seek him, he comes!

James 4:8; “Come to God and he will come near to you …”

Conclusion:

When God comes what do you expect to happen?

If we truly have faith – we should come seeking God and expecting him to manifest a portion of the Kingdom of God in our midst thus, fulfilling his Word in our lives.

And this pleases him!

Anything less than this displeases him!

We must come with a heart full of Godly expectations, knowing that we will have an encounter with God through the Holy Spirit that will demonstrate God’s love, grace, authority and power.

Basically, his Kingdom.

If you come, not seeking, not expecting, you come in unbelief and his reward is withheld.

Let’s seek him!

And expecting him to fulfill his Word in your life by the power of his Spirit as we do.

Amen!

 

FEEDING THE 5000 – THE SHEPHERD’S BLESSING

Date: July 12, 1992

Location: Believers Fellowship, West Chester PA

FEEDING THE 5000 – THE SHEPHERD’S BLESSING

MARK 6:30 -44 ³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. ³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

³⁵ By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. ³⁶ Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” ³⁷ But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” ³⁸ “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

³⁹ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. ⁴¹ Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² They all ate and were satisfied, ⁴³ and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. ⁴⁴ The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

V.30-31: When we report to our Lord – He will call us aside to get alone with us.

v.32-33: This included many of John the Baptists disciples, He had just been beheaded.

v. 34:  Jesus is moved to compassion when He sees the crowd.

Why?

Like sheep w/out a shepherd – What is the condition of those who are w/out a shepherd?

MATTHEW 9:35-38 ³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

They were harassed and helpless.

Jesus says to us verses 37 & 38….

Do we see the harassed?  Do we see the helpless?

They are the harvest that is now ready!

We need to be people of the shepherd! … Workers

JEREMIAH 23:1-6  “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. ² Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. ³ “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴ I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.

⁵ “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.

Jesus is the great Shepherd!

He will do the gathering.

He places shepherds over them to minister to them FAITH to dispel the fears.

Ministers to them peace, reconciliation and authority to dispel their terror!

When this is done, none of his sheep will be missing – his sheep!

Jesus will be our righteousness!

He is our righteousness!

V.35-36: Logical!?

Send them away to get their own food.

v.37:    YOU FEED THEM!

But Lord? – We don’t have the resources!

v.38:    Jesus takes inventory of what we have.

v.39-44: Then he gives us instructions – AS OUR SHEPHERD!

1. SIT DOWN – To recieve from Him, we must be in a posture to receive, to be still, get comfortable.

• IN GROUPS OF 50 TO 100 – Stay small enough that no one is overlooked!

• GIVE HIM WHAT YOU’VE GOT!

What have you got?  Nothing special?  Not enough?

• HE WILL BLESS IT!

• HE GIVES IT BACK TO OUR HANDS – and it has now got the potential of His ability!!!

His Nature!!!

More than enough!!!

Let’s learn from this:

We need to get to a posture where God can take us –

bless us

break us

use us …. Supernaturally!

Where he can take what we have,

bless it

break it

use it supernaturally!

Example – Jacob: 

Genesis 32  Jacob also went on his way, and the angels of God met him. ² When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.  ³ Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. ⁴ He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my master Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. ⁵ I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.’ ”  ⁶ When the messengers returned to Jacob, they said, “We went to your brother Esau, and now he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” ⁷ In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups, and the flocks and herds and camels as well. ⁸ He thought, “If Esau comes and attacks one group, the group that is left may escape.”

⁹ Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ ¹⁰ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. ¹¹ Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. ¹² But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ” ¹³ He spent the night there, and from what he had with him he selected a gift for his brother Esau: ¹⁴ two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, ¹⁵ thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. ¹⁶ He put them in the care of his servants, each herd by itself, and said to his servants, “Go ahead of me, and keep some space between the herds.” ¹⁷ He instructed the one in the lead: “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong, and where are you going, and who owns all these animals in front of you?’ ¹⁸ then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift sent to my lord Esau, and he is coming behind us.’ ” ¹⁹ He also instructed the second, the third and all the others who followed the herds: “You are to say the same thing to Esau when you meet him. ²⁰ And be sure to say, ‘Your servant Jacob is coming behind us.’ ” For he thought, “I will pacify him with these gifts I am sending on ahead; later, when I see him, perhaps he will receive me.” ²¹ So Jacob’s gifts went on ahead of him, but he himself spent the night in the camp.

²² That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ²³ After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. ²⁴ So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” ²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. ²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” ²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. ³⁰ So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.” ³¹ The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. ³² Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob’s hip was touched near the tendon.

Jacob on the run, He had deceived His brother Esau for the birthright.

Now He was forced to meet with Him by God’s command.

v.1-7:   Prepared for the worse

v.8-12:  Intercedes for Himself!

Remembers the promise.

v.13-23: Devises a scheme –

v.24:    He Got alone w/God

v.26:    YOU MUST BLESS ME!  Or all I have is all I’ve got!

YOU MUST BLESS ME!

V.27-32: ….

We need to have the determination of Jacob to “wrestle” with God till He blesses you and all that you have!

Then He will teach us!

Give us all that He is!

Change our name – who we are!

WE may develop a limp – BUT we will be Blessed by Jesus!

“LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS!”

HE MAKES YOU HOLY –

How many of you are wrestling w/God?

We don’t have to wrestle anymore!

He is offering to you His blessing TODAY!

TO MAKE YOU RIGHTEOUS!

HOLY

PERFECT

You will no longer be just what you are

or

Have just what you have

BUT

ALL THAT HE IS NOW IN YOU!

ALL THAT HE HAS, IS NOW YOURS!

RECIEVE IT!

STAND & READ THE WORD TOGETHER …

PSALM 33 ¹ Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

²     Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

³     Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

⁴     For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

⁵     The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

⁶     By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

⁷     He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.

⁸     Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.

⁹     For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰   The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

¹¹   But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

¹²   Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

¹³   From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;

¹⁴   from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—

¹⁵   he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

¹⁶   No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.

¹⁷   A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.

¹⁸   But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

¹⁹   to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

²⁰   We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.

²¹   In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

²²   May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

PSALM 40 ¹ I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

³ He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.

⁴ Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

⁵ Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced^, ; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

⁷ Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.

⁸ I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

⁹ I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord.

¹⁰   I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

¹¹   Do not withhold your mercy from me, O Lord; may your love and your truth always protect me.

¹²   For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.

¹³   Be pleased, O Lord, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me.

¹⁴   May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

¹⁵   May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame.

¹⁶   But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The Lord be exalted!”

¹⁷   Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay

Let’s worship Him w/ a new song:

HOLY UNTO THE LORD

 

FILL YOUR JARS WITH WATER

Date: 1985

Location: Believers Fellowship

INTRODUCTION:

JOHN 2:1-11 –     On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” ⁴ “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶ Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.⁷ Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. ⁸ Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, ⁹ and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside ¹⁰ and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” ¹¹ This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

Jesus is revealing to us important principles of how we are to serve Him.

Notice how casual Jesus performed this miracle… (no showmanship…grandstanding display etc.)

Tell the story etc…

1. FOUR PRINCIPALS FOR A SERVANT TO FOLLOW

From this account of Jesus’ life we can learn four principles as to how Jesus desires for us to respond to Him as we serve Him. (verse 7)

PRINCIPLE # ONE :

(USUALLY) WHEN JESUS IS ABOUT TO GIVE A BLESSING TO US – HE GIVES A COMMAND.

“Fill the jars with water.”

Other examples: 

• Blind man – wash off the mud…
• Man with palsey – stretch forth your hand…
• Peter go back out into the lake…  Peter,
• “Come” unto the water…
• Lazarus …”Come Forth”
• “Take up your bed”  and on and on….
• Dry Bones—Live!

The benefits OF the Gospel came with obedience to His call to believe and to repent.

Faith is obedient Believe … then receive!

First principle Jesus shows us is that He issues commands to those whom He will bless!

PRINCIPLE # 2:

HIS COMMANDS ARE NOT TO BE QUESTIONED, BUT OBEYED.

“People want wine, why should we fill the jars with water?

Doesn’t make sense!” “We don’t need water, we need wine!”

They had heard Mary v.5

They did not need to know why!!   BUT JUST OBEY!

(others may say)

“Maybe we need to do it our way, we’ve never got wine this way before”

“Maybe we should take up a collection and go buy some more wine”

“It can’t be that easy … just go get water and we all have wine?”

“only believe..???”

“Shouldn’t we have to do something else to get God to bless us?”

“Getting water is so trivial …. He must want us to do something else!”

SECOND PRINCIPLE then is … DO WHAT HE SAYS

PRINCIPLE # 3:

WHEN WE RECEIVE A COMMAND FROM THE LORD, BE ZEALOUS IN DOING IT!

They filled the jars to the brim!

Do what He has asked you to do to overflowing!

No restrictions …. all your might!

    believe …  preach …  give …  repent …  pray … study the Word …  etc….

Throw yourself into what God wants you to do!

Be extreme!

PRINCIPLE # 4:

WHEN WE OBEY HIM, IT DOESN’T LEAD US TO BE INDEPENDENT FROM HIM, BUT PROVES US TO BE MORE DEPENDENT ON THE LORD.

Some may say:

“God can do what He wants without my help, He’s that big!”

“Why does He need me, He can make the water He needs, He can make the wine appear without water!”

“When He is ready to do it He will do it, What does my attitude have to do with it?”

Our works are like the water … of no use till Jesus gets a hold of it! 

What value was the water at the wedding? 

They didn’t need water!  They needed wine!

When Jesus asks us to do something – He will prove we need Him!

HUMAN ACTION FALLS SHORT OF THE NEED OR DESIRED END, BUT GOD HAS CALLED FOR IT TO BE NECESSARY!

Jesus could have said: “Go to the waterpots and draw out the wine.”

Why didn’t He do this?

He was proving His ability –

v. 9 – The master did not know where the wine came from, the servants did! 

They could not have said it must have already been in the pot!

Those who serve Him – obedient to Him get first hand knowledge of His work! 

Example:

Evangelism – those who lead someone to Jesus know their commitment, but their friends & relatives may be skeptical.

Those who are on the “sidelines” don’t know for sure when you lead others to Jesus you know His power!

You want to know Jesus’ miraculous power?

GO AND FILL THE WATER JARS!

1. APPLICATION OF THESE FOUR PRINCIPLES:

FIRST – USE THE ABILITIES YOU HAVE FOR THE LORD.

Jesus could have asked angels to get the water!

“GO WITH WHAT YOU’VE GOT “

“Silver & Gold have I none but such as I have…”

Use what you have and Jesus will transform it for His work.

Do all that you can do … THAT’S YOUR WATER HE WILL TURN IT INTO WINE!

SECOND – WE HAVE TO USE THE THINGS THAT GOD APPOINTS IN OUR LIVES TO “FILL OUR JARS WITH WATER”

1. Study the Word – fill your heart & mind with His word.

Hear the Word – listen to God’s word – spoken – fill your heart

• Attend those things God has ordained to fill us:

Worship service, HFG, BSOB, Morning Prayer, Men’s & Women’s Fellowship … etc

FILL YOUR JARS WITH WATER!

• Serve with all our might –

CHILDREN’S CHURCH -BSOB -WORSHIP GROUP -NURSERY -HFG -ETC..

DO IT WELL … FILL YOUR JARS TO THE BRIM!

THIRD – WHEN YOU’VE DONE ALL THAT YOU CAN DO – THERE IS STILL A GREAT DEFICIENCY IN ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE

It’s Just water!

SO – TRUST IN THE LORD TO TRANSFORM YOUR WORK

Give all your work to Him in prayer & intercession allow Him to take it and transform it.

His work will not be in vain…

“Paul plants. Apollos watered.. but GOD GIVES THE INCREASE!

CONCLUSION:

LET’S FILL OUR JARS WITH WATER TO THE BRIM!

BE OBEDIENT WITH ZEAL!

V.11 … BELIEVE HIM AND LIVE!

One day we will be with Him in a marriage feast that He has prepared for us and He will say “Well done my good & faithful servant!”

AMEN!

 

ESTABLISHING DIVINE ORDER IN OUR LIVES (A SERIES)

Date: January 8 – May 14, 1989

Location: Believers Fellowship. West Chester, PA

A Series

Table of Contents

I. Who Are We? (Our Callings And Purpose In Life). 2

A.        We Need To Know Our Purpose In Life. 3

B.        Developing A Godly Self Image ‑ 8

C.        We Are A People Of Victory ‑ Success! 14

D.        A Spirit Filled Life – Being Led By The Spirit ‑ 23

1.         A “Kadesh” Walk. 23

2.         Being Led By The Spirit ‑ A Walk Of Faith. 29

E.         The Cross Comes Before The Resurrection. 37

II. Developing Godly Relationships. 44

A. What Qualities Must I Have To Develop Proper Relationships?. 44

B. How Do I Chose My Friends?. 47

C. How Do I Develop Close Friends?. 47

D. What About Intimate Relationships And Dating?. 48

III. Divine Order In The Home. 53

A. We Must Recognize The Sin Problem Within Our Homes. 54

B. We Must Learn To Communicate. 54

C. We Must Learn To Respect Marriage And Place It In Biblical Order 56

ESTABLISHING DIVINE ORDER IN OUR LIVES

INTRODUCTION:

I THESSALONIANS 5:23‑24 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

This is what God is doing in us.

God desires that we be sanctified through and through ‑ completely ‑our whole lives ‑ every area.

What is sanctification ‑ set apart for his use prepared for his use his purpose.

We need his divine order in every area of our lives so that we may be used of God! 

And he will do it!

WE will be looking at a number of areas of our lives that we need Divine Order:

• Our life ‑ As the temple of God ‑ our inner man
• Our life in relationship to others ‑
• Friendships
• Dating
• Marriage
• Raising a family
• Etc.

I.     WHO ARE WE? (Our Callings And Purpose In Life)

I Cor. 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

We are His temple

We are to have his Wisdom & understanding

TEST:

1. What is my purpose in life?

2. What is my goal to perform in life most of all?

3. What is the most important accomplishment of my life thus far?

ANSWERS:

1. TO LOVE GOD

2. TO LOVE GOD

3. LOVING GOD

Our main purpose in all that we do is to love God ‑ everything falls short.

Everything else is not important ‑ unless loving God is first and foremost in our lives.

A.   WE NEED TO KNOW OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE

If a person does not have a clear purpose in life, they will have difficulty in making decisions. The results will be insecurity and frustrations.

Yes ‑ Loving God is first purpose ‑ But you and I need specifics on how, when, where and what to do.

1. Let’s look at some words that relate to discovering our purpose in life:

SUCCESS:  Measuring what we are by what we could be and what we have done by what we could have done.  Achieving the full potential God planned for us. 

COL 1:28‑29 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

GOD’S WILL:  The continual growing and development of our walk of faith, which leads us to achieve spiritual maturity.

EPHESIANS 4:11‑15 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

MATURITY: Forming the characteristics of Christ in us and reproducing them in the lives of others. 

GALATIONS 4:19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

• We must view purpose in life from God’s perspective:

1. Our purpose in life should be to flow in God’s will.

We should ask; “God, what is your schedule and priority scale in my life?”

Put your life’s priorities in line with God’s priorities for your life.

• God’s purpose for his body is to lead them to spiritual maturity.

See and respond to life situations from God’s point of view.  This means being equipped with the Word of God that you will know how to respond to any situation.

Hebrews 5:13‑14 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

• God’s priority involves people.

God’s concern is for people “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD ‑ PEOPLE!”

Conflicts reveal specific needs of maturity in our lives.

God uses these conflicts to reveal where we need to grow.

We are being molded and shaped by God’s hand!

Romans 9:19‑21 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

• God’s purpose involves “Seeking first the Kingdom” rather than striving for vocational position.

Our joy, our success and fulfillment in life is determined by the degree to which we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

We are responsible for our motivations ‑ God is responsible for the results of our works!

• 8 CALLINGS THAT DEVELOP OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE:

These are spiritual developments through specific callings.  

FIRST ‑ NEW BIRTH ‑ REPENTANCE ‑ SALVATION –

Romans 10:9‑10; That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Make Jesus Lord of every area of your life.

Then ‑ Walk it out by learning how to impart this new life in Christ to others as you make personal commitments to Jesus in each area of your life.

SECOND ‑ SEPARATION FROM DARKNESS –

I Peter 2:9; But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Turning from all that you know, or sense is not of God.

Then ‑ Walk it out by making a list of the specific attitudes and actions which the Holy Spirit reveals are displeasing to Him. 

Then apply specific scripture to each one and obey the Word.

THIRD ‑ DEDICATION TO THE LIGHT –

Romans 12:1‑2; Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Yielding all ownership and rights to God and renewing your mind with the Word, be committed to doing God’s Word.

Then ‑ Walk it out by making a list of the things you own and give them to God.

Give all your personal rights to God.

FOURTH ‑ INVESTMENT IN SERVICE –

Matthew 6:19; “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

Commit yourself to Become involved in lasting achievements.

Using talents, possessions, time and energy to build others up spiritually.

Then ‑ Walk it out by learning to be a servant.

FIFTH ‑ ENDURANCE ‑ SUFFERING –

I Peter 2:19‑21; For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

Expect to be misunderstood by others,

I Peter 1:6‑7; In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

James 1:2‑4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Then ‑ Walk this out by not being a complainer ‑ but a rejoicer!

SIXTH ‑ GODLINESS IN OUR RESPONSES –

Romans 8:29; For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Decide to Respond as God would to those who wrong you.

Then ‑ walk it out by applying the Word of God to that hurt, let God reveal to you the root problem and then allow his Word to heal you.

SEVENTH ‑ SENSITIVITY TO OTHERS –

II Corinthians 1:2‑8; Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.

Decide to become alert to the hurts and needs of others, as you have been hurt.

Then ‑ Walk it out by sharing with others your experiences when you sense they are in need of them.

EIGHT ‑ REPRODUCTION OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY –

Colossians 1:29; To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Assist others through he same steps you have had to take and reproduce the character of Jesus in them.

Then ‑ Walk it out by writing our experiences in which you have had. 

Then discover scripture with which you can identify in that experience and which reveal insights on why it happened so that you can minister to others who are growing. 

Always be ready to share what God had done in your life.

• We need to learn God’s ways in dealing with our purpose and visions:

Each of us can expect that God’s major dealings with us will be in harmony with His basic ways.  He wants us to know these ways so that we can properly respond to the events He brings into our lives.

Three basic aspects of the ways of God:

• Birth of a vision
  • Death of a vision
  • Supernatural fulfillment of the original vision

BIRTH OF A VISION:

Each one of us have special purposes for being here, God desires to reveal them to us.

Examples:

Abraham had a vision of being a great nation Joseph had a vision that he would be a great leader and that many would bow down to him Moses had a vision that he would Israel out of the bondage of Egypt.

Disciples of Jesus had a vision of establishing and being part of the Kingdom of God.

A grain of wheat had the vision of producing allot of wheat.

DEATH OF A VISION:

The expectations that God gives are powerful motivations to continue during discouragement.

Examples:

Sarah was barren and too old to have children.

Joseph’s brothers sold him to some merchant, and he became a slave, later he was falsely accused and condemned to spend his life in prison.

Pharaoh, as well as his own people drove Moses out of Egypt after his first attempt to relieve their bondage.

Jesus was killed by the very ones He came to save, and the disciples saw him buried in the tomb.

The grain of wheat dies and rots in the ground.

SUPERNATURAL FULFILLMENT OF THE VISION:

God usually fulfills our expectations in ways that we never would have thought.

God have Abraham and Sarah a son in their old age who became the father of a great nation.

God allowed Joseph to interpret the dreams of the butler and baker and later the king, and then he was made ruler of the land.

God gave Moses signs and wonders to convince Pharaoh and his people that God was speaking through him to lead the nation to Canaan.

God raised Jesus from the dead, and great miracles were performed by his disciples to prove he was alive and still is!

A harvest springs up out of the very process of death in the ground for the grain of wheat!

Are we ready to allow God to do with our lives as he pleases?

Are we willing to look at our life a believer afresh and allow God to work in us?

B.   DEVELOPING A GODLY SELF IMAGE ‑

How do you see yourself?

If you could change your appearance, your abilities, your parentage your environment ‑ would you?

And if so, what would you change and why?

We need to see ourselves the way our heavenly Father sees us!

Our awareness of our own identity or self-image is greatly influenced by the values other people place on our ‑ appearance ‑ abilities ‑ parentage ‑ environment

A negative self-image will be the result of accepting the values of people around us.

However, an accurate Biblical self-image will develop if we comprehend and accept the values which God places on our appearance, abilities, parentage and environment.

1. What are the consequences of a negative or non‑biblical self-image?

1. Inability to trust God completely:

A person’s attitude toward himself has a profound influence on his attitude toward God, his family, his friends, his future and many other areas of his life.

“If God made a mistake with me, or didn’t do right with me how can I trust Him to do right in other areas?”

• A resistance against authority:

1. When we reject the person ‑ ourselves ‑ God is creating, we nurse wounds and feel cheated in life.

Proverbs 18:14 “A man’s spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?”

• Usually feels that God owes them something.

• Develops bitterness towards anything it attaches itself (bitterness) to any authority figure, parents, civil, employers etc.

We will feel trapped ‑ in a “straight jacket”.

How would they respond to this verse?

Matt 7:13‑14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

• There is a hindrance to genuine friendships:

1. We become oversensitive to the response of others to our appearance, thus not being able to concentrate on their real needs.

Meeting their needs is the basis for building long & lasting friendships.

Prov. 18:24 “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

• We project negative feelings towards others.
• Cold, judgmental, aloof, not trustworthy etc.

• If we do not accept ourselves how do we expect others to?

• An overemphasis on materialism:

1. Matthew 6:26,27 – Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

What are we concerned about?

Do we trust God to care of us or are we consumed with adding to ourselves treasure because we are not sure God will give us what we think we need ‑ or want!

I Timothy 6:6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

• We end up overcompensating and give others the impression that we are:

• Self assured, cocky, braggart etc.

• Our attention will be diverted from true achievement in our life.

1. WE try to overcompensate for our self-perceived “deficiencies”

• By achieving goals which gain acceptance & approval of others.
• This desire for approval will divert our attention from the purpose and achievement God has designed for our lives!

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

• I Samuel 16:7 “Man looks at the outward appearance…”

      Proverbs 15:13 “A happy heart makes the face cheerful…”

• We will be critical of our self and always comparing ourselves with others.

• Biblical principle for developing a proper Godly or positive self-image :

In order to accept the UNCHANGEABLE FEATURES in ourselves which God has made, we must see our life from God’s perspective ‑  a much bigger perspective.

1. God’s basic purpose in creating us is that we have fellowship with Him through Jesus Christ, And that we experience the full potential of Christ working in and through these bodies of ours.

John 17:3 “and this is life eternal that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

John 10:10 “.. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

Phil 3:8; “… I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

• Satan is aware of the potential which God has put within our lives, and he desires to totally destroy it or at least partially diminish its potential.

II Timothy 2:20‑22  In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

• Satan’s initial method of operation is to get us to believe that God has cheated or will cheat us out of that which we rightfully have.

Genesis 3:4‑5  “You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Colossians 2:8‑10  See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

• Before we were born, God prescribed our unchangeable features in accordance with His plan for our lives.

Psalms 119:73  Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.

Psalms 139:14‑16  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

• God is not finished making us yet.

Ephesians 2:10  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We are = present continuous action.

• There is no such thing as a “universal ideal” in the outward appearance.

I Sam 16:7  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Isa 53:2  He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

Was Jesus perfect?  Yes!

Looks had nothing to do with His perfection ‑ nor yours!

• There is a universal ideal on inward qualities.

Reproducing the character of Jesus Christ in us by the power of God’s Spirit and His grace.

Romans 8:29; And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

• Our happiness is not dependent on our outward beauty but on our ability to experience the character of the Lord Jesus Christ at work in our lives.

Matt 6:33; “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Psalm 17:15 “As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness, I will be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.”

Matt 5:3‑12; “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

1. If necessary, God sacrifices outward beauty to develop inward qualities, since our happiness is based on having the inward qualities.

2 Cor 4:10, 16,17  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. …. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Romans 9:20,21  But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ ” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

• Our fulfillment in life comes by being a unique vessel that gives out the message on how to develop the inward qualities of Jesus Christ.

II Cor 3:2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.

I Peter 2:9; “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called out our of darkness into his marvelous light.”

• Our differences in appearances, abilities, parentage, and environment are God’s special frames to highlight and amplify His unique work in us and His message to the world.

2 Cor 12:9,10  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

I Cor 1:27-31  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

• God’s reputation is at stake in what we do with our appearance, abilities, parentage and environment.

Exo 4:11,12  The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

We need to make a commitment before God:

• Recognize my lack of gratefulness for the way He is making me & repent.
• Thank God for the way He has made me thus far, even the “ugly” parts.
• Commit to cooperate with God in developing the fruit of the Spirit in your life. love, joy, peace longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self‑control.
• Dedicate your life in being a servant to see these qualities developed in the life of others.

C.   WE ARE A PEOPLE OF VICTORY ‑ SUCCESS!

Victory is to be the way of life for the believer!

Success is what God has for us!

We come to this place of success and victory by meditating and obeying God’s Word.

Joshua 1:8  “Do not let this book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Victory ‑ Overcoming ‑ success ‑ This is what God came to bring to our lives, not defeat and failure.

Luke 10:19  JESUS SAID: “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome ALL the power of the enemy, nothing will harm you.”

Be an overcomer!

Are you Born of God?

I John 5:4 ‑ “for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  this is the victory that overcomes the world ‑ even our faith!

Then you are an overcomer!

As you feast on God’s Word and it becomes your guide, your “law” your you become successful ‑ victorious – successful.

As you submit to God’s Word, you submit to Jesus and He clothes us with His character ‑ His benefits ‑ His armor!  ready to bring defeat to the enemy.

Let’s look at some areas of our life that will change as we meditate on God’s word and His ways become our ways … His ways become a way of Life for us:

1. YIELD EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST

John 1:11‑13 – He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

We give our life to Him; He gives us all He is

Matthew 7:21‑23 – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Saying He is our Lord is not enough!

We must DO the will of God ‑ or we are deceived! 

This starts with yielding to His will. We must yield before we can do.

Romans 10:9 ‑  That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Certainly, or confession is unto salvation ‑ but you cannot continue to confess a lie or it will eventually become true, or you will reject it.

Our confession is the first step in yielding to God’s will.

• SEEK TO OBEY THE LORD IN EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE, IF YOU FAIL IN AN AREA, MAKE YOUR CONFESSION IMMEDIATELY.

I John 1:9 –If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Remember ‑ conviction comes from the Holy Spirit; condemnation comes from the devil.

When God points out your error He always brings to you a solution and a “how to do it right next time”

• KNOW HOW TO CRUCIFY THE FLESH AND RESIST THE DEVIL.

Romans 6:6‑7 – If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Body of sin is powerless, we are free

Romans 6:11 ‑  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We are dead, but alive!

James 4:7 – Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Note the order ‑ submission to God first!

I Peter 5:8‑9  Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Self-control?  YES!!!

Alert?  YES!!

Why? You’ll get devoured.

Satan does not take a day off from being your enemy ‑ neither should we take off from being a Child of God in our behavior!

• MAINTAIN A DISCIPLINED LIFE.

Romans 12:1‑2 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

A key to victory! Knowing God’s will

I Cor. 9:27 ‑  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Your discipline your life not to gain God’s favor or to prove your abilities, but our earthly appetites are so compelling that a man could be a preacher of righteousness and never be a child of God.

How would we know this?

By his discipline!

A lover of the world more than God!

• CULTIVATE A RENEWED MIND.

ROMANS 8:5‑7  Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Our minds must be changed from what they were

ROMANS 12:1,2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Before we were born‑Again.

II COR. 10:3‑5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

The battle is in our minds.

PROV 3:5  ‑Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

There must be something wrong with our understanding!

EPHESIANS 4:22‑24 ‑ You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

• BE CONTINUOUSLY FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

ACTS 1:8 ‑ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

EPH. 5:18 ‑ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

LUKE 11:13 ‑ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

• LIVE BY THE WORD OF GOD.

ROMANS 1:16,17  I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

• The Gospel
• The Word of God brings into our life the power of God.
• Are we ashamed of what it says?

Do we believe it?

If we believe it and are not ashamed of it, we will do it and live by it!

MATT 4:4 ‑  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

His Word is our Life!

• DEVELOP A STRONG DYNAMIC FAITH.

ROMANS 10:17 – Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Hear God’s Word!

Do you have ears to hear?

How do you hear?

MARK 4:24 – “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.

Be careful with what you hear!

LUKE 8:18 – Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

Be careful how you hear!

• CULTIVATE RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS

MATT 18:15‑20 – “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

If we have something against someone our whole life as a believer will be hindered!

I JOHN 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

What happens when we walk in the light?

I JOHN 2:9‑11 – Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

Our relationships show our spiritual condition!

1. SUBMIT TO THOSE GOD HAS PUT OVER YOU AND TO ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE AND HUMILITY.

HEB 13:17  ‑ Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

If it is not an advantage, it is a disadvantage!

EPH 5:21 –Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

What does reverence to Christ have to do with submission to one another?

He bought us all with his blood ‑ we are one body ‑ his body!

I PETER 5:5‑6 – Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

God will only lift up the humble!  Those who walk in submission.

1. PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF GOD

EPH 6:10‑18 ‑ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

1. PRAY IN THE SPIRIT.

ROMANS 8:26‑27 – In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Let the Holy Spirit pray when we do not know how to pray.

I COR 14:2,4,14 – For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. …. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. …. For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

You speak to God not man ‑ a mystery to your understanding ‑ but not your spirit. 

You edify yourself ‑ build up, strengthen your spirit man

Is strengthened although your mind ‑ natural thinking is unfruitful

JUDE 20 –But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

Praying in tongues ‑ in the Spirit builds up your faith!

1. MAINTAIN A DAILY PRAYER LIFE.

MATT 6:9‑13 ‑ “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

1. PRAISE & WORSHIP DAILY.

ISA 61:3 ‑  and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

That’s us!

ISA 60:18 – No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.

Gates ‑ praise

HEB 13:15 ‑ Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

1. FAST REGULARLY TO KEEP THE “CUTTING EDGE” IN YOUR LIFE

MATT 6:16‑18 – “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

It’s between you and God.

ISA 58:3‑12 – ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

It’s not for you, but others!

Fasting is not twisting God’s arm Fasting is not a hunger strike to get God to do what you want Him to do!

1. USE YOUR WEAPONS OF DEFENSE

II COR 10:3‑5 – I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Our weapons have divine power our weapons come against false knowledge Our weapon is obedience to God’s Word

EPH 6:13‑17 ‑  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The armor of God put it on and use it!

HEBREWS 1:14 – Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Acknowledge the work of the angels as your defense.

1. USE YOUR WEAPONS OF ATTACK.

• The Word of God
• The Name of Jesus
• The Holy Spirit
• Prayer and Praise
• A Biblical Confession ‑ Speak Truth.  

D.   A SPIRIT FILLED LIFE – BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT ‑

1.     A “Kadesh” Walk

John 16:7‑15 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Pray…. That this scripture will be fulfilled in our hearing today etc.

We are in a place of transition ….

When you are in a place of transition, you are in a place of decision!

I have a number of decisions to make ‑ so do you!

When God brings us to a place of decision, he desires to do a work in our hearts, to purify us ‑ set us apart ‑ consecrate us ‑ sanctify us!

Every time he brought Israel to a place of decision in the wilderness, it was at a place called Kadesh or Kadesh‑Barnea.

Numb. 13:1-26  (tell story)

The Lord said to Moses, ² “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”

³ So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites. ⁴ These are their names:

from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur;

⁵     from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori;

⁶     from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh;

⁷     from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph;

⁸     from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun;

⁹     from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu;

¹⁰   from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi;

¹¹   from the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph), Gaddi son of Susi;

¹²   from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli;

¹³   from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael;

¹⁴   from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi;

¹⁵   from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Maki.

¹⁶ These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.)

¹⁷ When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. ¹⁸ See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. ¹⁹ What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? ²⁰ How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)

²¹ So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. ²² They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³ When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴ That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. ²⁵ At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

²⁶ They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.

Numb 13:27 ‑ 14:45

²⁷ They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. ²⁸ But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”

³⁰ Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

³¹ But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” ³² And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. ³³ We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

14  That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. ² All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! ³ Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes ⁷ and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. ⁹ Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”

¹³ Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. ¹⁴ And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, O Lord, are with these people and that you, O Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵ If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, ¹⁶ ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.’

¹⁷ “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: ¹⁸ ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.’ ¹⁹ In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

²⁰ The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked. ²¹ Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth, ²² not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. ²⁴ But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. ²⁵ Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷ “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. ²⁸ So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: ²⁹ In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. ³⁰ Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. ³¹ As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. ³² But you—your bodies will fall in this desert. ³³ Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. ³⁴ For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die.”

³⁶ So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it— ³⁷ these men responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. ³⁸ Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.

³⁹ When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. ⁴⁰ Early the next morning they went up toward the high hill country. “We have sinned,” they said. “We will go up to the place the Lord promised.”

⁴¹ But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed! ⁴² Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, ⁴³ for the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword.”

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp. ⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.

Duet 1:43‑46 So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah. You came back and wept before the Lord, but he paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you. And so you stayed in Kadesh many days—all the time you spent there.

Numb 20:1‑  In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

Moses strikes rock instead of speaking to rock at Kadesh.

Numb 20:12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

“He did not trust in God enough to honor him at Kadesh!

Kadesh – a consecrated ‑ sanctified place.

Numb 7:1‑ When Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings. He also anointed and consecrated the altar and all its utensils.

Kadesh – when God brings us to a place of decision, he brings us to a “Kadesh”

When we are in that place of decision we must be led by the Spirit of God and not our fears, doubts, our own understanding!

Gal 5:13 ‑26 

¹³ You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. ¹⁴ The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ¹⁷ For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

¹⁹ The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Those who walk by the spirit are consecrated, they have been to Kadesh!

For you to be used of God you must take on the character of God – fruit,

You can’t do that while you are sitting still ‑ you must move out into what God has said to do so that he can prove and develop your character ‑ consecrate you!

God will put you to the fire! He will give you a task.

Example:

(This example is a prophetic word for us as a congregation and myself as your pastor.)

Ezra 1:1 (tell story)….5:1

Haggai 1:1-5  In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

² This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the Lord’s house to be built.’ ”

³ Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

⁵ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.

You are at a “Kadesh”!

Haggai 1:8

Remember Moses? Refer to Numb 20:12?

Read Haggai to…2:23

CONCLUSION:

Time for a decision ‑ do we recognize the ministry of the Holy Spirit to sanctify us?

Do you follow God by your natural understanding or are you led by the Spirit?

Are you in conflict with your natural man? 

Is there a war?  Who wins?

Do you manifest the fruit of the Spirit?

Do we allow him to stretch us so that he can deal with areas that are contrary to our “comfort zone”?

Are we willing to build as God has called us without reservation?

Do you desire to be God’s signet ring?

Galatians 5:25 “since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit!”

2.     Being Led by The Spirit ‑ A Walk Of Faith

We are learning how to be led by the Spirit.

So far we’ve learned that God has for us a walk in “Kadesh”.

The work of the Holy Spirit that sanctifies us when we are at a place of decision he sets us apart to serve him, we can chose to follow or chose to go our own way if we chose our own we will not be fit for service, we will not be set apart, sanctified!

Being led of the spirit is also a walk of faith Israel had to have faith to enter the promised land, they had walk in the Spirit but they didn’t go in to the promised land because they did not walk in faith!

Hebrews 3:16‑19-4:1  Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

Walking in the Spirit and walking in faith is basically the same!

Do you desire to walk the walk of faith?  The faith walk?

a. What Is A “Faith Walk”?

A faith walk is walking out the Word of God … Doing … Living …

Saying what the Word of God says!!!

The faith walk is a walk of victory ‑ who defeated the Israelites? 

They did through their unbelief!

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Faith brings surety to what we hope for, K.J.V says to what we hope for it brings hope into spiritual reality faith brings hope to the present tense ….

Now when did salvation come?

When you hoped you might be saved or believed by faith that you were saved?

You believed that when you prayed to receive Jesus, that you received Jesus, so you walk it out the same way … You confess that you are saved … And there is no doubt that you are!

Mark 11:24  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Believe that you have received!

Act as if you have already received them, or be in the same state of mind that you would be in if you have already received them!

This is rest ‑ contentment! We can rest in what the Word of God promises!

As in ‑ John 3:16… For salvation

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

As in –

Matt 8:16‑17 ‑ “When evening came, many who were demon possessed were brought top him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.  This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our infirmities and carried our diseases’.

For deliverance from Satan and diseases.

As in ‑ 1 Peter 2:24 –

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

For healing

As in ‑ James 1:5 –

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

For wisdom

As in ‑ 3 John 2 –

I pray that you may enjoy good health, and that all may go well (prosper) with you even as your soul is getting well (prospers).

For health and prosperity

As in ‑ Luke 4:18 –

The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

To heal our hearts to bring deliverance to give sight to set us free and give us God’s favor!!!

As in ‑ Galatians 3:29 

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

For all of Abraham’s blessing!

As in ‑ 2 Cor. 1:20

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are yes in Christ.  And so through him the amen (so be it) is spoken by us to the glory of God.

For all the promises of God are answered yes!

That’s the faith walk ‑ believing you have received the promises of his Word taking his Word for what he has said and applying it to your life!

b. What Hinders Our Faith Walk?

We are a receiver from God … He gives we receive …

We receive these promises that have been mentioned.

We receive direction, instruction, correction, discipline, blessing etc.

But ‑ if we are not receiving form God there must be a problem!

(remember receiving is based on the scriptural definition of receiving, it starts with an attitude of heart, a state of mind, “believing you receive before you see it”

If we are not receiving where is the problem?

In God?

In us?

God does not fail!  He performs his Word.

But many times we are unable to receive example of a T.V. ……. 

God ‑ transmitter

Us ‑ receiver

Blessing, promise, direction ‑ picture on t.v.

If we are not receiving a proper picture, there are four possible problems in receiving what we’ve asked from God:

1. Poor Atmospheric Conditions ‑ Such As Weather.

This is caused by satanic forces, or attack.

Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

(principalities & powers)

Eph 2:2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Ruler of the kingdom of the air ‑ Satan

Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion does what?

The thief comes to do what? Steal, kill & destroy!

Jesus gives a solution:

Mark 3:27 … No man can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man, then he can rob the house.

We need to bind the strong man!

I Peter 5:8‑9  Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

We need to resist him.

James 4:7  Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Submit yourself to God & resist him.

Eph 6:11‑17  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

We need to have our armor on …all of it.

We have been given the authority to defeat Satan ‑

Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases,

Disciples were given authority over all devils.

Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

Given power over all the power of the enemy.

Mark 16:17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Casting out devils will be a sign of those who believe.

• Distractions Or Interceptions ‑  Such As Mountains Chimneys Etc

This is caused by the cares of this world, worry, deceitfulness of wealth.

Matt. 13:7 & 22  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. …. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Luke 12:29 ‑ Do not set your heart on what you shall eat or drink, do not worry about it”

Matt 6:33 ‑ But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these thing shall be added unto you!

I Peter 5:7 ‑ Cast all your care, anxiety, upon him, for he cares for you.

• Interference … Such as sewing machines, electrical equipment etc.

This is caused by fear ‑ inter ‑ fear ‑ ences

This is unbelief or doubt.

There are two types of unbelief:

First ‑ A lack of knowledge of God’s Word.

Hosea 4:6 ‑ my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Second ‑ Disobedience towards God’s Word

Hebrew 4:6 & 11  It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. …. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

Fear is the opposite of faith.

Peter when he walked on the water did not begin to sink until he looked at the waves and became afraid ‑ fearful Jesus’ response to him was ” oh ye of little faith! Why did you doubt?”

It’s obvious ‑ he was afraid ‑ fear is doubt, fear is unbelief, but perfect love casts out fear … We need to have the heart of God ‑ the love of God – agape.

But our natural man will fight against that kind of love and that kind of faith.

Mark 9:14‑29 – When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

Unbelief is controlled ‑ dispelled by prayer and fasting!

Unbelief comes out of the old nature and it needs to be out in its place ‑ crucified!!

• A dirty receiver … Tuner is dirty needs cleaning sin!

Whatsoever is not of faith is sin! –

Rom. 14:23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Rom. 6:12 ‑Therefor do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its evil desires!

Hebrews 12:1 ‑… Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Sin separates us from God!

If we regard iniquity in our heart the Lord will not hear me!

Psa 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

How do we expect to receive if he does not hear us due to sin?

But 1 John 1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

We need top guard our minds …

Keep them clean, that’s where the sin starts, and think on what God says to think on

• Our Faith Walk Must Be Balanced –

How do we walk a balanced faith walk?

1. By the Word of God ‑ the written logos, God’s personal word to your heart (rhema, revelation) must always agree with the written word, or it is not from God!

They must be in total agreement!

John 15:7 ‑ If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.

It is the word of God that even establishes our faith that’s how it comes!  The word is our balance, if you pray according to the word, your prayer is balanced.

What about those things you don’t have a proof text for?

Make sure it is your spirit that directs the prayer and not your soul (mind will, emotions) or your body.

If you are born again the spirit of God is alive in you and will direct your path!

The Spirit of God is always in agreement with God’s word our inward man should direct the prayer of faith.

1. By the love of God … Agape

Gal. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 Cor 13:1‑3 – If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Paul speaks as if you could have the faith to do all these things by faith! 

But without love they count for nothing!

Many have done great works of faith, but if our motivation is not sacrificial love it counts for nothing!

So, the balance is this:

The Word of God (both rhema & logos) + agape love = a victorious balance faith walk whereby you will then be walking in the spirit of God.

E.   THE CROSS COMES BEFORE THE RESURRECTION

John 19 ‑ 20:18 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. ² The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe ³ and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they struck him in the face. ⁴ Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” ⁵ When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” ⁶ As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”

But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.” ⁷ The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” ⁸ When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, ⁹ and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” ¹¹ Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” ¹² From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”

¹³ When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). ¹⁴ It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. ¹⁵ But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. ¹⁶ Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.

So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. ¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” ²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” ²³ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ²⁴ “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said, “They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” So this is what the soldiers did. ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

²⁸ Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. ³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. ³⁵ The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶ These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” ³⁷ and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

³⁸ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jews. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. ⁴⁰ Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. ⁴¹ At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

20       Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)

¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to their homes, ¹¹ but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. ¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

In the Word of God, we have before us truth ‑ principles ‑ laws of the Spirit, laws of order ‑ divine laws

We desire to see our lives in divine order ‑ godly order.

I want to share with you the most misunderstood order of things that man has in  regards to his life as a believer.

That is that before we have resurrection life, we must surrender to the price of a crucified life ‑

The cross many of the disciples of Jesus did not understand  this, they assumed that Jesus had come to set up his throne, to overtake the roman empire and bring Israel out from under the roman rule.

Matthew 16:21‑28 ²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. ²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” ²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. ²⁸ I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Jesus knew that the cross must come first ‑ before victory there must be a crucifixion.

If a Christian is lacking in victory in their life is it because they have not fully surrendered to the cross of Jesus Christ?

We must hear and do his will.

We cannot do this unless we are totally surrendered to jesus!

Mark 8:34‑38! ³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ³⁶ What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? ³⁷ Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

The cross‑ your cross

The cross is the place to always begin ‑ if you skip it, you will fail and you

Will be selfishly motivated!

Jesus knew this  ‑

Hebrews 2:9‑18 ⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. ¹⁰ In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. ¹¹ Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. ¹² He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” ¹³ And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.” ¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. ¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

The cross brought power into Jesus’ life to destroy the works of the enemy.

Is it any different for us?

The cross brings power to your life ‑

I Cor 1:17-18 “for Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel; not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross be emptied of its power.  For The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God!”

A person who has identified with the cross no longer live for themselves, but for Christ!

2 Cor. 5:14‑15 “for Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for them who died for them and was raised again.”

You are not your own, but you have been bought with a price!

This does not mean we sit and wallow in our suffering and commit ascetic practices to make ourselves holy before God what it means is that our life is totally at the disposal of God to do with as he pleases ‑ he is our master, we are his slaves.

If that bothers you, then you are not crucified with Christ! Dead men aren’t bothered.

Didn’t Jesus say:

Matt 6:19‑20  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Does he mean it?

Didn’t Jesus say?

Luke 12:33 “Do not be afraid little flock, for you father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted…”

Does he mean it?

If this is not what he said then what does he mean?

Matt 16:24 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”

Does he mean it?  If not, why did he say it!!

God is calling us to action to present his word of freedom to this community.

The only thing that will hinder it is our selfishness and lack of repentance!

Luke 14:1‑35 ¹ One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. ² There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. ³ Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” ⁴ But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. ⁵ Then he asked them, “If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?” ⁶ And they had nothing to say. ⁷ When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. ¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

¹² Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³ But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴ and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” ¹⁵ When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁶ Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. ¹⁷ At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ ¹⁸ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ ¹⁹ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ ²⁰ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ ²¹ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ ²² “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ ²³ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. ²⁴ I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. ²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. ³⁴ “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? ³⁵ It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

It is time to put down our selfish ambitions and get about our Father’s business!

We need to lay hold of this area for the Lord no matter what the price ‑ ridicule …persecution … Jail  … Accusations .. Whatever to get the gospel to this community.

Diplomatic tolerance of sin and false teaching has not brought this community to Christ.

The status que has not brought this community to Christ what will?

An army of crucified disciples ready to pay whatever price to reach the people of West Chester and beyond.

It’s time for battle!  It’s time for assault on the kingdom of darkness and bring into reality the power of the cross and resurrection into the streets, the homes, the campuses of West Chester.  Whatever the price!

Before there is victory there must be an army sold out, crucified, and walking in the resurrected life.

Are we willing to be part of that army?

We need to repent and then call this community to repentance!

Speak out beyond these walls the message of the gospel!

Bring the truth of God’s Word “in the face” of a sinful community.

To be salt … To be an “a-salt team” the a-salt team are you ready?

To get ready we must first repent,

Humble ourselves before our resurrected Lord and then ask forgiveness for our selfishness, then commit ourselves to put his work first in all that we do.

II. DEVELOPING GODLY RELATIONSHIPS

I Thess 5:23,24 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

We need to develop proper, Godly relationships.

A. WHAT QUALITIES MUST I HAVE TO DEVELOP PROPER RELATIONSHIPS?

What foundation do I build on?

1. Be a friend of God –

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

• Be like Jesus towards all men –

John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Give what God has given you to others.

What has God given you?

Do you spread it around?

• Have a clear conscience – transparent.

I Tim. 1:18‑19 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.

Fight w/ faith & good conscience!

A clear conscience is…

The inner freedom of spirit and assurance from knowing that you have a transparency towards everyone; that no one is able to point a finger at you and accuse you of wrongs toward him that you have never made right.

1. A clear conscience is not an option.

• A sensitive conscience is the mark of a mature Christian –

Hebrews 5:13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

Acts 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

• A clear conscience was Paul’s goal.

• Our witness will be effective

1 Peter 3:16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

• A clear conscience keeps us healthy

Psalms 32:1‑4 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah

•  Rationalization will hinder a clear conscience, pride must die!

Our minds will always try to devise a plan to keep pride alive our pride will us from making things right.

We will make excuses and rationalize why we don’t need to make things right.

• How to gain a clear conscience ‑

Remember the areas of offense that you have caused to others. Use your own memory or the Word of God will cause you to recall.

Consider your words before you speak, they are important.

Prodigal son rehearsed his words of repentance before he went to his father.  Why? 

Because your heart will lead you to pride and blame shifting!

1).  Don’t blame or pass on guilt.

2).  Speak your need to be forgiven.

3).  Your words must identify the basic offense ‑ be specific!!

NOT “If I offended you, then will you forgive me?”

BUT “Since I did not show you the respect (love, gratefulness etc.) I should have, will you forgive me?”

• Your words must reflect full repentance & sincere humility

Put yourself in their place and relive the offense from their side!

During this time pride will attempt to rescue from this difficult task!

• Beware of proud attitudes that speak such as:

• “I was wrong, but so were you” reflects pride & bitterness
• “I am sorry, but it wasn’t all my fault” not accepting responsibility for what happened.
• “I’m sorry” with no mention of the offense.
• “If I’ve been wrong, please forgive me”  We imply, “If my personality (which I’m not responsible for) has offended you, then I’ll be big hearted and assume it’s my fault (which I’m not fully convinced it is) and ask you to forgive me; If you still think I’m wrong that is.”
• “I’m sorry about ___________ , please forgive me”

One of the hardest things to say is “I was wrong”, it’s a lot easier to say “I’m sorry about _______________”

• Proper approach

Personal visit ‑ eye to eye best

By phone if they are out of the area

Letters are unwise

Wait for the right time for them ‑ you always be ready

It is important that they respond ‑ ” i was wrong when i did __________________, will you forgive me? Wait for their response!

B. HOW DO I CHOSE MY FRIENDS?

4 Commitments you need to have.

1. Purpose that those who love Jesus will love you and those who hate Christ will hate you. Not because of you, but because of Christ. If anyone hates you, it should only be because they hate Jesus in you. If anyone loves you, it should only be because they love Jesus in you.

2. Purpose your walk so that those who like you will be drawn to Jesus.

3. Purposefully and verbally identify yourself with Christ.

4. Purpose to let God choose your friends, not based on selfish needs and interests, but on their needs!

This is what Jesus did ‑ he is our example!

C. HOW DO I DEVELOP CLOSE FRIENDS?

1. Become accountable to one another.

We all need someone we are accountable to other than our spouse.

Hebrews 3:13 –But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Daily we need someone to examine our lives and speak to us.

We won’t receive it from anybody!

We must make opportunity for accountability to happen it won’t be automatic!

There are over 15 one another commands in the bible:

Love, be of the same mind, serve, provoke to love, provoke to good works, be kind, submit, forbearing, forgiving, admonishing, comforting, edifying, exhorting, confess your faults ‑ sins, pray, have compassion, use hospitality.

• Accountability must be based on an agreement of goals between one another. 

Agree to:

• Tame your tongue 
• Have financial freedom
• Overcome sin
• Godly home
• Applying the word
• Learning God’s word
• Become a spiritual leader
• Meeting spouse’s needs

Be willing to examine one another.

• Who do I choose?

Accountability should only be developed with those who are faithful.

2 Timothy 2:2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

• Learn to talk wisely ‑ tame your tongue, give it to God, conflicts arise from what we say!

If our tongues are tamed ‑ our hearts are being corrected!

If we can control our tongue ‑ our whole body can be controlled speak wholesome words & conversation

D. WHAT ABOUT INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS AND DATING?

1. What is the purpose of dating?

What is dating? 

The pairing off of two people of the opposite sex away from group activities.

To choose a partner in life, a spouse.

• How do you know you are spiritually prepared to date?

Not by age, but when certain questions can be honestly answered three questions:

1. What are the consequences and dangers of dating?

Lasciviousness ‑ the tendency to excite lustful desires.

Concupiscence ‑  a state of bondage that comes when there is strong abnormal desire.

Defrauding ‑ to arouse physical desires never intending to fulfill them.

• Have you personally set up scriptural standards in dating?

• Have you purposed in your heart that you will not lower your standards even if it means losing the date?

Be committed to 1 Thessalonians 5:23!

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• How do I discern God’s will concerning my life’s partner?

You need to make 6 major decisions:

Decisions # 1 ‑ I will only date and marry a growing Christian.

2 Cor 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

Ask yourself ‑ is he/she a Christian?

False rationalizations:

• “He’s not a Christian, but he’s sure a nice guy.”
  • “He’s a better gentleman than most Christians I’ve dated.”
  • “He’s not a Christian because he doesn’t want to be a hypocrite.”
  • “We have so much in common other than religion.”
  • “he wants our children to go to church.”
  • “I think he’s open. Maybe I can witness on our dates.”
  • “I told him he had to be a Christian, so he accepted Christ.”

What will happen?

An incomplete marriage ‑ the most essential aspect of a total marriage is lost when there is no spiritual union or basis for spiritual intimacy. The man must be the spiritual leader.

Decision # 2: I will relate dating and marriage to God’s purpose for my life.

Col 1:28‑29 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Ask yourself: What is my life goal?

False rationalizations:

• “He’s a little shy about religious things.”
• “It never seems in place to talk about god or pray on dates.”
• “After marriage we’ll get active in the lord’s work.”
• “We’re only young once.”
• “Another Christian wronged him so he’s not active at church.”
• “I don’t want him to think I’m a religious fanatic.”

What will happen?

Goal frustrations ‑ without clearly defined life goals there is little basis for making important decisions in dating or marriage.

Decision # 3: I will not defraud the one I date.

1 Thessalonians 4:3‑8 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Ask yourself: Do we have self‑control?

False rationalizations:

• “What’s wrong with proving and expressing our love for each other.”
• “He’s got a few bad habits, but no one is perfect.”
• “He thinks some Christians are too strict.”
• “Dating standards are different today.”
• “I should break up, but I don’t want to hurt him.”

What will happen?

Self‑Condemnation; Guilt and blame over wrong standards in dating carry into the marriage and become the source for many petty arguments and communication breakdown.

Decision # 4: Both of us must be in harmony at home ask yourself: 

Do we get along at home with our families?

False rationalizations:

• “He says i’m the only one he can talk to.”
• “I think his parents are too strict.”
• “He’s got a real temper, but he holds it around me.”
• “When he leaves home, things will be much better.”

What will happen?

Conflicts transfer from parent’s home to newly-weds home.

• A man tends to treat his wife as he treated his mother.
• A wife tends to respond to her husband as she did to her father.

The way each kept their room is the way each may keep house

Decision # 5: I will wait for God’s timing in our marriage.

Gen 29:20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

Ask yourself: Is this the right time, God’s time?

Do I have our parent’s consent?

Are we financially prepared?

Are we finished our basic education?

False rationalizations:

• “We’re old enough to make our own decisions.”
• “We’ll manage somehow.”
• “We’ll finish school together.”

What will happen?

There will be tension and worry ‑ dangerous stress is added to the marriage. 

Impatience is a sign of self‑love or immaturity.  Love can always wait to give.

Decision # 6: I yield my right to date and marry God.

I Cor 7:32‑34 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband.

Matt 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Ask yourself:  Have I sought the Lord concerning my state in life as a single or married and surrendered it to him?

Your goal will be then to have undistracted concentration on Christ and his work.

I Cor 7:35‑38 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better.

What will happen if violated?

Spiritual immaturity; essential training & experience are lost when the responsibilities of a premature marriage crowd out significant Christian activities.

The result of making these 6 decisions:

God’s fulfillment of your deepest needs and God will bring into your life a happier and more effective relationship with him and the spouse he chooses for you if his desire is for you to be married.

Conclusion:

Relationships are to be handled through the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

We must first have a viable healthy relationship with our Lord Jesus, then all relationship will be profitable not only for ourself, but those whom God brings into our lives.

III.        DIVINE ORDER IN THE HOME

I Tim. 3:4‑5 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)

God wants our homes to be in order

Our lives are a reflection of where we really are in our growth and walk with God.

Many have a lot of ideas and plans for the church, but their homes are not in order.

What is an ordered home?

What is our standard?

Is it what is acceptable by the status que?  The world?  Your family? Your friends?  Other Christians?

What do we use to measure our home?

God’s word!

The character of Jesus Christ must be evident in our home ‑ godliness at all times ‑ at all costs!

But most Christian homes fall short of the biblical standards.

• Children dishonor their parents and rule the home.
• The philosophy of the world is the standard of what is allowed within your home.
• Ungodly characteristics are revealed as husband, wife and children speak and respond to one another.

If Jesus was married to your spouse would he speak to her/him the way you speak to her/him?

If Jesus had your mom and dad, would he speak to them, treat them the way you do?

If Jesus was the parent of your children, would he treat them the way you do?

Jesus is our standard!!!

What makes your home different from the unbelievers next door?

What shall we do to make our homes a place of honor for God?

This morning I want to share three areas we must look at to put our homes in biblical, divine order:

A. We must recognize the sin problem within our homes.

B. We must learn to communicate.

C. We must learn to respect marriage and place it in biblical order.

A. WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE SIN PROBLEM WITHIN OUR HOMES.

1. We do fail and must admit to our failure to one another within our homes.

• We must do something about our failures ‑ repentance and forgiveness.

• There must be a willingness to grow out of the natural sin patterns that are in our homes.

B. WE MUST LEARN TO COMMUNICATE

Ephesians 5:22‑25 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her

Ephesians 6:1‑4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

This describes relationships as they should be in the home.

For this to be in our home we must learn to communicate.

Guidelines for communication.

Ephesians 4:25‑32 ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

As these traits are developed in our homes, our homes will become a place of honor a place of refuge, a sanctuary and not a battle ground, or a place of contention.

v. 25 Put off what is false, speak the truth, we are one member, be honest with one another, your home must be a place where lies are not found, and truth can be spoken without fear of rejection of false judgement.

V. 26 Anger can be handled two ways ‑ blowing up or clamming up.

Proverbs 25:28 “like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”

Proverbs 29:11,22 “A fool gives full vent of his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. …. An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot tempered one commits many sins.”

Families suffer greatly from the effects of words spoken in anger or deeds done in anger.

There is no place for losing your temper in the Christian home.

The world says: ” Vent your anger.”

But God says:

Romans 15:1‑2; “we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.  Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

Families also suffer when someone clams up, and lets the sun go down on their wrath. Separation, silent treatment, etc.  Punishing the family with your silence and separation.

To keep from blowing up or clamming up you must be willing to communicate

v. 25  The home is a place to work ‑ a sharing of responsibilities God did not give you children so that you could entertain them, but to train and them and teach them to serve others.

Selfish living habits are either reinforced or rooted out in the home. Put your children to work ! !

Let them know they are of value to the welfare of the family.

They must realize that the world and all who are in it are not there to serve them!

v. 29  Do not allow cut downs ‑ verbal attacks, disrespectful remarks or attitudes.

Our words should and must build up, not tear down.

V. 30  Respect one another’s walk with God and allow him to teach each member of your family

V. 31  Get rid of,  This means you do it!!! And it is possible!!!

C. WE MUST LEARN TO RESPECT MARRIAGE AND PLACE IT IN BIBLICAL ORDER

1. God ordained marriage.  Marriage is not an option, it’s God’s plan. There is no place for a romantic, sexual relationship outside of marriage! ! !

• Marriage is good it was instituted before the fall, it was part of God’s perfect plan.  The woman was to be the helpmeet ‑ helper of the man.

Her attributes would complement his, they were made to work together, not in strife and competition.

• Marriage is permanent in this life. The child-parent relationship is temporary.  The husband-wife relationship is permanent:

Genesis 2:34; “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

“The best way to be a good father to your children is to be a good husband to their mother.”

1. Therefore, children must be kept in the proper perspective.

Children need parents who love each other more than they need $, things, fancy house, clothes, etc. The children’s relationship with their parents is temporary.

• Cultivate continually your relationship with your spouse. Date regularly ‑ without the kids. Do things together!

• Follow the biblical pattern of the relationships in a family.

Ephesians 5:22‑25 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Ephesians 6:1‑4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

1. Wives are to be in submission to their husbands.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.

• Husbands are to love their wives. Live for them, willing to die for them!

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Show loving leadership be the leader of your home in the love of God.

What is biblical leadership?

By example … Be a servant … Put others first … Train others to take your place.

Ephesians 1:12  in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Over everything for the church … Over everything for the wife

• Children are to be in biblical order.

Ephesians 6:1‑4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

V. 4 God speaks to the fathers .. Why ?

Fathers do have a tendency to exasperate their children mainly because fathers are responsible for the actions of the children mothers may do more, or be more involved, but fathers are responsible.

The father has the authority.

I Tim 3:4‑5 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?).

What exasperates children? =  Underdiscipline

Such as, an unannounced rule that is made known after they were broken. Or, “If you do ____ your going to get a spanking” the child does ______ and there is no spanking, what happens?

Rules change day by day, child is confused, angry

Example:

Little Mary comes home with pretty flowers for mommy.  She comes in across the newly waxed floor with muddy shoes expecting mommy to be overjoyed with the flowers, instead mommy tears her apart verbally and swatted on the rear.

Child’s reaction is “I try to be nice to mommy and I get murdered”

Mother rethinks her actions and realizes she was wrong.  Mother could have recouped by admitting her wrong to little Mary but she didn’t.

This leads to even worse results.

Next day little Mary does something really serious, lies, talks back, but because her mother overpunished her yesterday, today her mommy lets her get away with murder!

What does the child think?

One day I get murdered for being nice, the next day I get away with murder! ? I might as well do what I want, I never know where I stand.”

Children need rules, they need to know their limits.  They will know that if they do this, mom and dad are going to do that.

When they are tempted in the neighborhood to do something against mom & dad’s rules, they don’t have to wonder whether or not they just might get away with it. What security!!!

Why do parents move the boundaries, change the rules?

One day you count to 3, the next day there’s no counting, another day you just ignore what they do!

Why do we do this?

Laziness

Discipline takes time.

If we under-discipline our children will become angry

Over-discipline ‑

We have a standard of conduct, the word of God.

We desire to uphold those standards with our children and many times we overdo it.

The Bible says that the commands of the Lord are not grievous, therefore neither should our commands to our children.

Many times over-discipline can make children angry. If we react against the world’s standards instead of acting according to the Word of God.

For example, you want to discourage back talk, therefore you will discipline your child when they do.

If the discipline is too harsh it may not only stop the back talk, but the child may be afraid to talk at all.

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

How do we keep from exasperating our children?

Bring them up in the training and instruction of who?

The Lord!

The discipline that a child receives is to be the Lord’s discipline.

God has given us models through his Word as to how he ministers discipline to those he loves.

To be an effective parent, you must know God and his ways.

There is only one way to do that … Read the Bible.

CONCLUSION:

I. We Must Recognize The Sin Problem Within Our Homes.

II. We Must Learn To Communicate

III. We Must Learn To Respect Marriage And Place It In Biblical Order