Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Church’ Category

IT’S MY TURN NOW

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, FAITH, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 18, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Faith in God CombinedYOU NEED FAITH TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE THE BIG THINGS YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE. YOU CAN LIVE A LIFE WITHOUT FAITH BUT – IT WILL BE A SMALLER LIFE THAN ONE LIVED WITH FAITH.

Do you need a miracle?

Do you need something to change in your circumstances?

Do you need a breakthrough in your life in some way? Maybe your health has some immoveable issues? Maybe you are sick of your ho-hum job and you want to do something different? Maybe you have struggled financially for far too long? Perhaps you have some deep fears or you have wrestled with doubts in your mind for far too long.

Then today you need to tune in really well!!!

You love God, but you’re looking for more. You’re looking for a significant shift, you’re sick of believing for the same miracles and increase but not seeing it as you hoped. You’re at a tipping point, it’s time to change up and create some momentum.

I’m going to give you an answer.

Abraham met with God

Gen 15:1-5

God I want an heir! Essentially Abraham was saying, – It’s my turn now!

You’ve just told me how you are El-Shaddai, the all sufficient one, I know you’re able, but right now I don’t’ have a son! I WANT YOU TO DO SOMETHING FOR ME!

Is that selfish? Of course not!  Jesus said: And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive. Matt 21:22

God answers Abraham, not just YES; but wait a minute Abraham, I will give you offspring that number as the stars. He believed.

 ROADBLOCK –  Abraham was old.

He made a demand of God and God answered so fast it he nearly missed it and     the answer was far greater than the demand by miles!

God loves faith!  Bold faith pursues God for undeserved answers.

While others wait around for the moving of the water, Jesus is asking you, “What do you want?”

He is waiting for someone to stand up and shout – “It’s my turn now!”

STORY 2 – Naaman the leper 2 Kings 5

He was outside the covenant. He was an enemy of God’s people, but he came and asked big for a miracle. He humbled himself and obeyed God’s direction through the prophet.

It’s my turn now!

ROADBLOCK – He was outside the covenant, he had been an enemy.

When we see other people, pastors, churches being blessed, – we rejoice of course but it’s time to stand up and shout to God, It’s my turn now!

STORY 3 – The Syro-Phenician woman. Mark 7:25-30

She came to Jesus. She’s no Israelite. She’s not entitled to covenant promises but she pushed through every doctrinal, legal, cultural and sexist barrier and shouted, It’s my turn now.

ROADBLOCK – She was outside God’s plan and purpose.

This isn’t an arrogant or selfish demand, this is a call that springs from a faith filled heart that knows God is able, and He is gracious and good and I need His help.

STORY 4 – Blind Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52

He called out “Son of David have mercy on me” In effect he was saying, “It’s my turn now!”

ROADBLOCK – the crowd stood in the way, be quiet they said, you’re annoying!

But Jesus told them to bring him here. What do you want he asked? Bold faith stands up and says God, it’s my turn now!

It’s my turn for a healing.

It’s my turn for a financial miracle.

It’s my turn for a salvation miracle.

It’s my turn for a Church growth

It’s my turn for a personal breakthrough.

It’s time some believers and leaders decided, we are not just plodding along doing all things well, and hoping for good things to happen, and yet not seeing the big breakthroughs and advances that we truly desire.

We have decided to stand up and make a demand in faith, just like Jacob who said “I won’t let you go until you bless me”

It’s my turn now!

It’s my turn now!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What is the biggest faith challenge you have ever faced?
  2. What did doubt say to your mind about that challenge?
  3. What did/does faith say to you about that challenge?
  4. Can you accept that God really wants to bless, heal and prosper you?
  5. Can you get past any sense of it being selfish to ask God for answers to your needs?

Read Full Post »

BRING YOUR TOWEL!

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, FAITH, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 11, 2015| Leave a Comment »

elevation Baptism 3Water baptism is one of the most exciting experiences for a Christian. It’s a declaration that you have decided to follow Jesus, but more than that it is a supernatural experience of separating from your old life.

Let’s take a look at these verses in 1 Cor 10:1-2  For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, (ESV)

In many ways the events described in the Old Testament are examples of what our new life in Christ is all about. In fact Paul says the same in 1 Cor 10:11  Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period). (AMP)

Many things in the Old Testament are types or shadows of the spiritual realities unveiled in the New Testament. As one famous preacher once said, “the New is in the Old Concealed and the Old is in the New revealed.” For example when the Israelites took a Passover lamb and slew it to place the blood on the door of their homes in Egypt just before the Exodus, this is a type or shadow of Jesus Christ becoming our Passover lamb and shedding His blood to cover our lives in order that death would pass over us and we would be saved from it.

In this picture, Egypt represents the world and slavery and bondage to sin. The Promised Land represents our new life of following Jesus and Passover is a picture of salvation.

Now back to the verse we first read – the children of Israel were baptised into Moses in the Red Sea. What does that mean?  In this story we understand that for 400 years the people of Israel had been living in the land of Egypt and away from their own land that God had promised them. Over the time that they were there, the Egyptians had become taskmasters over the Israelites and turned them into slaves. Their slavery had become harder and harder and the people of Israel began to cry out to the Lord for release. They had even forgotten that they were promised a new land through God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

In the same way mankind has been living under the bondage of sin and death and the slavery of sin has been getting harder and harder. Think about the issue of the drug Ice for a moment. Its ravaging influence is destroying the lives of users, their families and many others who are victim of the users actions in crime and in hospitals etc. That’s just one issue, there are so many ways that sin and death are cruel taskmasters over people who are crying out for release.

God raised up a deliverer, Moses, who is a picture of Jesus. Moses went before Pharaoh, who represents the devil and says you must let my people go. God shows His mighty hand through many miracles signs and wonders and brings the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the wilderness on the way to a promised land flowing with milk and honey.

At the time of Passover, the lamb slain to place the blood on the door posts and lintel of each home where Israelites lived represents Jesus. His blood was shed for us to cover us and the angel of death must pass over us. What happens next is God says to the Israelite people pack up everything you’ve got and leave. Travel into the wilderness. Start your journey into the Promised Land. But the Egyptian army followed them. They represent the old life, the power of sin and bondage that you were once under before you were a Christian. They also represent the devil and his demons who have lost their power over you and want to get you back.

As the people of Israel cry out to God, He leads them to the Red Sea and as Moses lifts his staff (Representing authority) the waters part and the Israelites go through on dry ground. The Red Sea represents water baptism. As the Egyptians (representing all that is worldly and part of your old life) tried to follow Israel into the water; the Red Sea closed up over them and they were destroyed.

This gives us the picture that when you go through the waters of baptism the power of your old life to dominate you is destroyed. But more than that, now there is a great separation between Egypt and Israel. A Red Sea that cannot be crossed! The Red Sea represented separation from the old life, from bondage and from poverty. The water was life and victory for the people of Israel who had been saved by blood and it represented death and separation to the Egyptians, the old life of sin and bondage.

No wonder the Israelites sang and danced and rejoiced when they were safely on the other side and saw the Egyptian Army drowned. Ex 15:1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord, saying, I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider or its chariot has He thrown into the sea.(AMP)

What’s more is that the verse we read at first says “baptised into Moses” which is a picture of the body of Christ, as revealed in this New Testament verse that aligns with this statement. 1 Cor 12:13 For by [means of the personal agency of] one [Holy] Spirit we were all, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, baptized [and by baptism united together] into one body, and all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit. (AMP)

If I haven’t been baptised in water yet – what should I do?

Be baptised by immersion as soon as possible. It is a glorious victory for you to leave the old life behind and be separated from the power of sin and the bondage of the old life.

If I have been already baptised since I believed, – what should I do? Exercise your faith. No need to be baptised again. Begin to believe that you are free, now separated from your old life and the powers of sin and temptation.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Do you think that your life as a Christian should be marked by supernatural experiences?

2. Why do you think it is necessary to be baptised by full immersion? (Hint see Romans 6:1-4)

3. Why is Jesus referred to as “The Lamb of God”?

4. What kind of things from “your old life” would you rather be set free from?

5. Can you believe that you are now free and delivered from your old life and the bondage of sin through your water baptism? Discuss.

 

Read Full Post »

BE BAPTISED!

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

WATER BAPTISM – WILL YOU FOLLOW THE LORD? elevation Baptism 5

The story of Jesus being baptised in water goes like this. The whole of Matthew chapter three.

This was the beginning of Jesus ministry years. It began with the Father speaking audibly about His Son at His baptism, and culminated with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus some three and a half years later. Jesus set a pattern for us to follow Him.

Will you follow the Lord in the waters of baptism?

My story.

I was born again at the age of 20 and about seven weeks later I was baptised by immersion in water. This was a beautiful experience for me and a time when I also desired to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is a great opportunity to witness this reality to all your family and friends.

What does baptism mean? What is it for?

When John the Baptist baptised people is was in response to his call for people to repent, confess their sins and heartily amend their ways. It was a public demonstration that a person had made a new start in life to walk in righteousness, and leave the past behind. It showed the picture of a washing away of the old life.

Later water baptism took on a new and added meaning after Christ was raised from the dead as an identification with Christ of His death burial and resurrection.

For each of us Water Baptism certainly is an outward sign of an inward life change. It is an important declaration to all our friends, family and brothers and sisters that I have chosen to follow Christ. But it is a whole lot more than that too.

It is a spiritually powerful experience that prepares you for a victorious life walking with Jesus. Let’s see how Paul saw water baptism.

Romans 6:1-4

What shall we say [to all this]? Are we to remain in sin in order that God’s grace (favor and mercy) may multiply and overflow?

2 Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?

3 Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

4 We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life.

When you were born again, you became a new person, a new creation, your old life ceased and a new life began. You were crucified with Christ. Rom 6:6 We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin.

What do we do with a dead body? We bury it! And so in water baptism we bury the old life in the waters of baptism and rise up out of the waters just as Jesus was raised from the dead.

Think of it like this: Jesus died and you died (your old life); Jesus was buried and you were buried (in the waters of baptism); Jesus was raised, and you were raised into newness of life. So in this way you truly identify with Jesus.

Water baptism represents the reality of what takes place in your new birth. It is an outward sign that you are following Jesus; but much more than that it is following Jesus and partaking in the fullness of your own resurrection to new life in Christ. Far more than just a declaration, it delivers the power of God to you for real life change.

Look at his verse with me;

Rom 6:4

We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life.(AMP)

This verse says Jesus was raised up from the dead by the glorious power of the Father and JUST THE SAME way you are raised walk in newness of life. When you come up out of the water after going under it, you can believe that the power of God comes upon you to raise you spiritually into a new life. – That’s powerful!

Does Water baptism help me now?

The truth and application of the reality of water baptism is something that helps you every day of your new Christian life. The apostle Peter shows us this truth when he says in 1 Peter 3:19-21

19 So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— 20 those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.(NLT)

In other words the water of Noah’s flood is a picture of water baptism. How so? Noah enters into the Ark which represents God, the ark having three levels, the top one being one with windows to let in light (Father Son and Holy Spirit). The rain comes and the water which represented judgement rose up and the Ark floated on the waters. The waters separated the ungodliness of the world whom God judged from Noah and his family.

In this same way the waters of baptism now separate us from the ungodly past now we are in Christ (Our ark).  So to apply this great truth, whenever you are tempted to sin remember your water baptism and invest faith in your experience of God’s power and truth in that you are now a new creation and the water of your baptism has separated you form the ungodly temptation coming against you.

It’s a believer’s baptism. Maybe you are saying, “I was baptised as a baby, so I don’t need to be baptised again.” The idea of baptising babies came into the church centuries ago because of fear. Fear that babies that died at a young age would not go to heaven. However baptism does not save, as we have learned in February’s theme (faith for salvation) – only through faith in Jesus Christ is a person saved. Jesus commanded is disciples, let the little children come to me. Salvation for children below the age of understanding is secure in His mercy and acceptance. After the age of understanding children easily receive Christ, but they must be led to Christ.

In all cases in the New Testament people were baptised after they believed. In Acts 2 as Peter preaches the first sermon to the early church they are moved to respond and they said what shall we do? His response was Repent, be baptised and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  In Mark’s gospel he states, Mark 16:16  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.(ESV). Baptism does not save but it’s so closely linked to our salvation and path to follow Christ that it is included here in the scripture describing followers of Christ.

Another objection some people have is “It’s embarrassing to get wet while everyone is looking at me! My hair will look a mess, people might see my legs, what would I wear? It’s too cold! Etc. etc.” I’m sure there’s a thousand questions that relate to our sense of self consciousness, but all I can say is talk it through with a leader and overcome these things so that you can obey God and be baptised. We will be having a water baptism service on April 26th both morning and night.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What are some common objections to being baptised?

2. Describe, imagine the scene of the first mass water baptism as described in Acts 2:37-41

3. Can some of the group share testimonies of being baptised?

4. How has baptism helped you, changed you, affected you?

5. What would you say to anyone considering being baptised?

Read Full Post »

AS YOUR FAITH GROWS SO DOES YOUR DESIRE TO SPEAK OF IT.

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, FAITH, Preaching messages, Soul Winning, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 21, 2015| Leave a Comment »

FAITH SHARING #4AM Faith-440x330

Having studied at university, I had a confidence to be in that space and a desire to reach other uni students with the gospel. So when I was first on staff as a youth pastor in Brisbane in my early ministry days I felt God leading me to go the QLD Uni and do some outdoor preaching. This seemed like quite a challenge for me, but I really felt compelled by God to do it. So I went to case out the joint. I saw that lots of students ate their lunch outside sitting in the sun on grassy areas and also the uni refectory (Café) was a great place with an outdoor section that would lend itself to some preaching opportunities. So I rolled up one Tuesday lunch time and decided I’m going to preach at 1pm in the refectory. Well 1pm came and went and I was still sitting nervously at a table. 1.15pm came and went – same thing. Right through until I jumped up onto a table and began to preach about Jesus at about 1.50pm.

The most amazing thing about that experience is that my fear and nerves completely disappeared when I actually stood on that table and began to speak. I had to overcome fear because I had faith and I knew the reality of heaven and hell.

 When your faith is strong, you want to tell others about the gospel.

When your faith is strong you know God has changed your life and it’s so good that you want to tell others about it – just like this leper in Mark 1:40-45

40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;

44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.(KJV)

When I was first saved Chris (now my wife) and I joined the youth street witnessing team. We went in to the city every Friday night to share our faith with anyone we met on the streets. Over the years we must have shared our faith with thousands of people. Having faith means that the reality of your salvation completely dominates your life and eternal aspects overshadow temporary ones.

  1.  When your faith is strong, you want to tell others about the gospel.

Luke 14:21-23 21 “The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, ‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ 22 After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ 23 So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.(NLT)

When our church was in the Mill Park location, we did quite a lot of door knocking in the Mill Park area. The methodology was to take a survey and go door to door on a Saturday afternoon and ask people questions like, “What do you see as the greatest needs in this local area.” And “How can the church be part of the answer to that need?” If people were open to chatting about these things you could take the questions further and ask about their faith and then share you own faith experience.

One thing I noticed about this task was that the results were greatly affected by what you believe. If I went with confidence that God was with me, and these people would be open and receptive, I had a great time and many people allowed me to share my faith with them; but if I went with fear and trepidation expecting to be punched in the face at every door, then I had knock back after knock back and a miserable day.

It matters what you believe!

2. When your faith is strong, you believe that the harvest is ripe.

 

John 4:35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.(NLT)

 

Sometimes the people you share you faith with reject the message at first. One of the police guys I spoke to many years ago was pretty confident in his atheism. He had it all figured out. Although he was raised as a catholic, he had no ongoing faith. I shared a couple of times with him and it seemed there was no real headway being made. Then a situation arose where his young son was almost drowned and was in hospital ICU in an induced coma. The station sergeant asked me and the church to pray. I believe God did a miracle and the boy survived unscathed.

 

In sharing with the policeman later he was able to explain the great outcome in natural terms and seemed unaffected in his faith. But God was at work, and after many opportunities to share faith with him and the added impact of another policeman who was a believer also sharing with him, he came to faith and was baptised last April.

 

  1. When you’re strong in faith you believe that the word is at work in people’s lives.

 

You don’t fear failure, because you believe God is in control. A person’s immediate response is pretty much irrelevant – the words you speak when sharing your faith are like seeds that rest in their heart and it begins a work to change them. When you’re a person of faith you know that it’s God’s timing not yours and you’re at peace with His process. Our only responsibility is just to shine the light.

 

One of our regular coffee spots is in the Plenty Valley Town Centre. We have been going there now for years and we know all the waiters and waitresses very well. It’s like we do life with them. We share their highs and lows and tell them about our lives as well. One of the waitresses contracted bowel cancer and passed away a couple of years ago. Before she passed it was an opportunity for Chris to go and visit her in her home with her family and pray with her during her illness. She opened up her heart to Jesus and was assured of her salvation. These and other people could see the love and peace of God through us as we did life with them, and trust was built.

 

  1. When you’re faith is strong, you approach life with hope and joy and it shows.

 

2 Cor 2:15-16   15 For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ [which exhales] unto God, [discernible alike] among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing:

16 To the latter it is an aroma [wafted] from death to death [a fatal odour, the smell of doom]; to the former it is an aroma from life to life [a vital fragrance, living and fresh]. And who is qualified (fit and sufficient) for these things? [Who is able for such a ministry? We?](AMP)

 

On Friday it was time to do a phone changeover so I went down to the Telstra store in Plenty Valley Town Centre and sat with a young man who was pretty quiet in his manner, so after he completed all the paperwork to hand over my new phone I asked him about his faith in God. He explained he was brought up catholic but had no ongoing faith. I shared how I had experienced Jesus’ reality, and invited him to come along to the church here whenever he could, and gave him a card.

 

  1. When your faith is strong, you believe God is organising your day and He creates opportunities.

 

Every day you live, God is at work with you in designing your day. He walks with you and you walk with him. Nothing is wasted, nothing is frivolous. All things work together for good to those that love God and called according to His purpose.

 

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].(AMP)

 

Have a bigger expectation of God. Be confident that He is leading you every day, life isn’t random, it’s planned.

 

God has planned your day, because He knows all things and His design is for you to know Christ and be forgiven. Let today be a day when you experience God’s reality through the love of Jesus.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Within your group can you make a list of all the day to day things we do that are more important than sharing your faith?

2. Is there anyone in the group who had another person share the gospel with them before they became a Christian?

3. What if that person had chickened out and not shared with you?

4. How can we strengthen our faith so that sharing it is our great passion?

5. Do you believe the harvest is ripe? What does that mean?

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

TELL ‘EM I LOVE ‘EM

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, FAITH, Preaching messages, Soul Winning, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 28, 2015| Leave a Comment »

SHARING FAITH # 1PM  Share your faith 1

Share your faith – don’t ever be afraid!

When I was a very new Christian, one of the first experiences I had was joining our youth street witnessing team. What a great experience that was! First we learned what the gospel was, and why we needed to share with people about the love of Jesus. We learned that all men had sinned and that the wages of sin is death, Hell is really bad and awaits every person who has not decided to follow Jesus. We learned about how the Holy Spirit is within us and how His power changes lives when we share the love of God. Then off we went into the city to share God’s love. For many years the youth group ran a coffee shop in the city in an underground location. We would go out into the street share our faith with people, and then invite them down into the coffee shop for a free coffee. We saw hundreds of people saved over many years.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Not long after I became a Christian when I was studying at Uni I would ride the bus to Uni every day. Each day I would feel the prompting of the Lord to speak to anyone and everyone about Jesus, but I was so scared. My heart would be beating so hard in my chest I wondered if someone else could hear it! I put it off for weeks but finally I summed up the courage to say to a young man I was sitting next to, “Hi I’m Craig and would love to share with you about Jesus!” To which he replied, “Oh wow. I’m a Christian too, that’s great!”

I was so relived not to be rejected, but disappointed that I still hadn’t witnessed my faith to anyone. Was God just showing me, don’t be afraid it’s not that scary?

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

At university I joined the Christian group and pretty soon I was leading it because they were not too excited about Jesus and I certainly was. It helps when you are full of the Holy Spirit. So we would arrange for the team to go out witnessing once a week at lunchtimes on the Uni campus. We would give out tracts and share with people. One time we ran a coffee shop at Uni in O week and one young man received Christ who is now the INC Pastor at Mt. Barker in the Adelaide hills.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Another time in O week we showed an awesome surfing movie that was produced by a Christian film group and it contained cracking footage of surfing huge waves and also contained an interview with different surfers who shared their story about following Jesus. At the end of the movie I jumped up and preached in the theatre to about 400 young Uni hopefuls about how Jesus had changed my life! Some walked out, some stayed and a couple lingered to ask more about Jesus.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

That kind of outreach was what we now call bait and switch. You offer something that looks wild, cool, exciting and appealing and then at the end you pull out the gospel. It’s not wrong, but some people may feel tricked. It’s not as effective as love and serve the people you want to reach like we do in Red Frogs.  Actually Jesus pulled a kind of Bait and Switch every day when He fed the five thousand and then healed lots of people which is pretty attractive then began to preach saying, “Unless you believe you shall all likewise perish.”  Listen to this…. Every kind of evangelism is valid. There are an infinite number of ways to reach lost people, just go out and do it!

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Here’s what Red frogs do today. At schoolies the people who are volunteers, look after year 12 students who are bent on drinking themselves into oblivion at the Gold Coast. The Red Frogs team surround them with care, look after them and bring a safety net under their crazy antics so that this generation can survive the schoolies mayhem. In and through that process they get to share the gospel with people who are ready to listen. Lots of young people receive Christ every year.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

One good friend of mine, Brian, was doing life tough before he was saved and he called the church office to ask for help. Suicidal and drug affected, he came to Christ and was deeply impacted. He went well for a while and later slipped back into old habits and ways. A couple of years later I saw him in the city, drunk, sitting on the footpath and swigging on a bottle of beer. I went over to him and told him we loved him and asked if we could help him. Later when he came through in Jesus to a very powerful life lived for God he told me, “You remember that night you found me on the street drunk? Well I was going to smash that beer bottle over your head, but something stopped me.”

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

Ask you friend beside you right now, “What would stop you sharing your faith?”

Not long after that when Brian was going great for God, we had the youth street witnessing team in the city and we were singing on the streets in the city mall. From behind us came a spray of water, which turned out to be beer. Another man who was drunk was spraying his beer bottle contents over the Christian singers and when we approached him he was swearing a lot, and very angry. Just then two plain clothes police arrested him and took him away. It seemed like a non-event. However later when Brian caught up with this man that was arrested, he knew him and he found out that the reason he was drunk and so mad at Christians was that his three year old son had just died. He was heartbroken and angry at God. Brian knew Jesus now and reached into his heart and showed him God’s great love and that man gave his heart to Christ

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

You can share you faith with strangers on the street, as I have done by street preaching, or you can share your faith with your friends and neighbours by serving and loving. Both are valid and important. By loving and serving our neighbour Albert we led a man to Christ, who was former bikie and was dying of liver failure in hospital.

Share your faith. Don’t ever be afraid.

When Jesus said, Matthew 28:19 (AMP)

19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

It means we have a job to do. Do not think of it as “I should do this, I should do that.” It’s time to believe, so pray like this, “God open doors for me to share my faith with the people you select to bring across my path.” Let your witnessing be led by the Spirit. BUT, be ready to obey when He shows you – “that’s the one.” You need faith to share your faith.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Please discuss the full meaning of Acts 1:8 in your group.

2. If you ever felt like it was a duty to share your faith, what should you do?

3. Tell some stories about times when you have shared your faith.

4. What’s your testimony? – Your story of how you met Jesus and how you know He’s real?

5.  Practice sharing your testimonies in the group.

Read Full Post »

ONCE I WAS LOST, NOW I AM FOUND

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, FAITH, Salvation, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 21, 2015| Leave a Comment »

SALVATION FAITH #4AM  – SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE AT PLENTY VALLEY CHURCH. 22/2/15

FAITH IS

Why are we speaking about Faith this year? All we receive from God is by faith, every promise, every blessing and all His plan will be accomplished through faith. Faith is our confidence in God’s word, His promises, and our trust in His character to do as He has promised. Our salvation is the most important subject overall. Nothing is more important in your life that this one question: Are you saved?

Do you know you are saved? Are you merely hoping you are saved? Is your faith in Christ saving faith? Would you deny your faith for any reason? That’s what this month’s theme is addressing.

Our key verse for the month is Ephesians 2:8-9 (AMP)

8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favour) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

9 Not because of works [not the fulfilment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

The bible is full of true stories that illustrate salvation. For example we have

  • Adam and the skins of animals that covered his nakedness.
  • Noah and the ark that saved him and his family from God’s judgement.
  • Abraham and his believing which was accounted to him as righteousness.
  • Isaac and the ram caught in the thicket, a substitute for his life.
  • Jacob who wrestled with God who changed his nature.
  • The exodus where each person was saved by blood on the doorpost.

I could go on!

A famous old church chorus asks this important question:

Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb? Are fully trusting in His grace this hour, are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Let’s look at the parable Jesus taught about the prodigal son because it is an important illustration about faith for salvation.

Luke 15:10-32.

10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one [especially] wicked person who repents (changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins).

11 And He said, There was a certain man who had two sons;

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the part of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided the estate between them.

13 And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.

14 And when he had spent all he had, a mighty famine came upon that country, and he began to fall behind and be in want.

15 So he went and forced (glued) himself upon one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed hogs.

16 And he would gladly have fed on and filled his belly with the carob pods that the hogs were eating, but [they could not satisfy his hunger and] nobody gave him anything [better].

17 Then when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have enough food, and [even food] to spare, but I am perishing (dying) here of hunger!

18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; [just] make me like one of your hired servants.

The power of this story to illustrate salvation, is the change of heart that the son experiences when he realises his lack and poverty. The powerful moment when he “comes to himself” indicates a change of mind and heart which the bible teaches is repentance.

For a person to receive salvation, the forgiveness of sins, that person must exercise faith. Faith is the confident expectation that God’s promise is true and results in trust in His plan. The prodigal son was confident in his father’s love and acceptance. At the time of salvation a transaction takes place. Christ carries your sins and you receive His righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (AMP)

21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].

For God’s part there is a choosing

Ephesians 1:4-5 (AMP)

4 Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

5 For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—

For our part there is a response

Acts 2:37-38 (AMP)

37 Now when they heard this they were stung (cut) to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles (special messengers), Brethren, what shall we do?

38 And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 There is a decision, a turning, a repentance, which simply means a change of mind and heart. It’s a turning to God and a turning away from the old life, from sins. This turning leads to a trust in Christ that He saves, and you are forgiven of all your sins. This leads to a cosmic alteration of the eternal accounting ledger where your sins are no longer accounted to you. Your name is now written down in the book of life.

Colossians 2:13-14 (AMP)

13 And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions,

14 Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross.

Having faith in Christ saves you. Faith is your belief in God’s promise and your trust in His plan of salvation through the cross. It was initiated by God’s choosing as He calls you and He reveals His goodness to you. It is then sealed by your response as you accept the truth of your need, you repent and believe the gospel.

WHAT IF I DOUBT? – AM I STILL SAVED?

Doubt enters the mind. Its origin is spiritual and shows us the enemy of our souls, satan, is intent on destroying your faith. This is a real and predictable spiritual attack.

If your heart has been moved by God’s love, then guided by your heart, you put off those doubts from your mind, because your heart is convicted by His truth. Like the bride or groom who has second thoughts on the day of the wedding, the question is: am I assured of my partners love?

The parable of the sower and the seed illustrates this truth:

Matthew 13:18-21 (AMP)

18 Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower:

19 While anyone is hearing the Word of the kingdom and does not grasp and comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the roadside.

20 As for what was sown on thin (rocky) soil, this is he who hears the Word and at once welcomes and accepts it with joy;

21 Yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, lasts but a little while); and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] and he falls away.

WHAT NOW?

Have you heard the gospel and been moved in your heart? Have you “come to yourself” and some point in your life? If the result of that revelation was that you turned away from your old life and trusted in Christ, then you are saved. If not, now is the time to turn to Christ, and turn away from the old life. Are you struggling with doubt? Put away your doubts and fully trust in the promise of God. In order to gain the confidence to do that, read God’s word and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His word to you.

DISCUSSION

1. Does God help people because He feels pity for them?

2. What does the prodigal son parable teach us about our life journey before we meet Jesus?

3. Why is it that some people come to the realisation that they need God when the chips are down and others don’t come to that realisation?

4. We are probably a bit reluctant to admit we have doubts at times but doesn’t everybody have doubts at some stage in their journey?

5. Show how this verse can be applied to doubts that come to mind – 2 Cor 10:4-5.

Read Full Post »

WHY DO I NEED TO BE SAVED?

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on February 14, 2015| Leave a Comment »

SALVATION FAITH # 3AMWho is Jesus That’s a great question! Lots of people never actually ask that question, but if you hang around Christians long enough, then somewhere you will hear about being “saved”. It’s a term that doesn’t come into the vernacular of regular folks unless you’re talking about being saved from the surf or a burning building; but saved from… er  hell? – That’s different!   It’s about understanding the human condition. You will have a world view on that. You will have a perspective of how you see the world and people. Consider this from a bible perspective just for a moment …. Humour me!

  1. There’s a lot of evil in the world, like ISIS for example. Or even the brutal slaying of Jill Meagher
  2. The concept of judgement falls easily onto the human mind. We all feel comfortable with the concept that such evil will be judged and should be judged. In most movies the bad guy gets it in the end – right?
  3. Now importantly, recognise the natural tendency of human pride. The tendency of us all to say, “I’m alright though. I’m good!” We see ourselves as being naturally on the side of good. We often say, “He’s a good guy, or she’s a really good person.” Jesus actually says, “There is none good but God.” (Matt 19:17) Probably we really mean that a person has a soft heart or a proud heart rather than a good heart/bad heart. Even as Christians we use this terminology frequently, but what we mean is that person has a soft heart as compared to a proud heart.
  4. Judgement is universal. The truth is God is perfect and no wrong will go unpunished. God is infinite in His capacity to know all and see all; and He is just which means He cannot overlook any wrong doing. Being just, He will reward all wrong with punishment and all good with reward.
  5. Now the trouble is, we have all (Rom 3:23) Come on! You surely must admit you have told the occasional lie – right? You have used the Lord’s name in vain? You have committed adultery in your mind at least? Stolen anything at all in your life? I could go on… So if God is just and holy then you and I will be judged. Therefore you need saving!

The most commonly held belief in Australia is this…. There is a God. (78%) These people mostly believe God judges by their own standards. So really evil people will go to hell (Belief in hell 29%) People such as Hitler, murderers like the bloke who killed Jill Meagher, rapists, paedophiles, and terrorists. All the rest, including me of course, will go to heaven (belief in heaven). At almost every funeral in Australia, we see the use of church facilities or a chapel with a priest, pastor, or religious leader speaking and giving the assumption that the dear departed is in heaven now, with their life described in glowing terms. Of those who die though, only 17% of those Australians had actually attended church. Perhaps even less had a faith in Jesus Christ. For some people there is a discovery. A light goes on. It’s the light of the gospel. I am a sinner. I need to be saved. God gives that revelation. The vehicle by which people receive that revelation is the gospel. The motivation is Grace (God’s love). He way we receive it is Faith. Saving faith. Look how it happened to Peter in the bible… Matt 16:1-4, 13-18 Matthew 16:1-4 Amplified Bible (AMP) 16 Now the Pharisees and Sadducees came up to Jesus, and they asked Him to show them a sign (spectacular miracle) from heaven [attesting His divine authority]. 2 He replied to them, When it is evening you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, 3 And in the morning, It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and has a gloomy and threatening look. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and morally unfaithful generation craves a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Then He left them and went away. Matthew 16:13-18 Amplified Bible (AMP) 13 Now when Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, Who do people say that the Son of Man is? 14 And they answered, Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am? 16 Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros—a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra—a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]. Peter spoke up and said, “Jesus, you are the Christ, (which means Messiah) the son of the Living God.” He had been following Jesus for about 2 years. So he had plenty of time to observe and understand who Jesus really was. (In surveys conducted by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association they discovered that people hear the gospel about an average of 3.5 times before they come to faith.) He received a revelation of Jesus, that Jesus said came to Peter directly from heaven, from the Father God. Who do you say Jesus is? He referred to himself as the son of God. (John 19:7) That is either true or false. If it’s true then we must believe it. If it’s false then Jesus was either insane, a lunatic, or He was lying deliberately. Any historian worth his salt would say Jesus teachings were profound and enlightening and do not exhibit the marks of a lunatic at all. To claim that He deliberately lied is also a stretch considering His moral teachings and the strength of His influence across history. This choice of Jesus as Lord, Liar or Lunatic is a simple one. Which will you choose? Jesus said that Peter’s statement was such a profound and important one that He would build His church on this same revelation, that Jesus was the Son of the living God. Your salvation depends on what you believe about Jesus. If you believe He is the Son of the Living God, if that truth and revelation has come to you from above and you are convicted by it then you are saved. There are sceptics and Jesus dealt with them in the early part of the chapter. He spoke of the Pharisees and those who seek a sign. Many people look for proof of who Jesus is. He said he would not give them proof then and there because they would only be given the sign of Jonah. Sceptics look for proof. Seekers look for God. This is the example of the proud heart and the soft heart. The sceptic asks for proof on his own terms, but if you are talking to God surely proof comes on His terms not ours. The sceptic says “if you will do this… then I will do that” Is any proof really ever enough? The answer is no. Jesus said the wicked seek a sign. Jesus simple asks – “Who do you say I am?” What do you say? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Do you consider yourself to be saved? 2. Who do you believe Jesus really is? 3. What did Jesus say He would build His church on the revelation that He is the Son of the living God? 4. When a sceptic seeks a sign – are they really looking for proof? 5. Discuss the proud heart verses soft heart idea.

Read Full Post »

THE MOMENT I BELIEVED.

Posted in Church, FAITH, Soul Winning, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »

SALVATION FAITH  #2am  faith blocks

PERSPECTIVE

This year we are sharing the theme of faith, and this month the theme is on faith for salvation. The most important subject on earth.

And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 AMP)

Jesus really is the only way to heaven.

MY STORY

My salvation. I was brought up without any religious experience. Neither of my parents were believers or attended church. While in university, I witnessed a church outreach where Christians sang and witnessed their faith and a preacher shared a gospel message. When one of the group came over to me to speak about their faith and invited me to church, I considered the invitation and went along, encouraged by a friend who also attended this church.

At the church I was very surprised by what I witnessed, seeing miracles, healings, and testimonies of lives changed from alcohol addiction, drug addiction and broken marriage.  I did not accept Christ at that time but I went home and began to think about what I had experienced.  Over the next few days I considered the message and began to pray to God asking Him to show himself to me if He were real.  It was a interesting week. The following Sunday I went back to the church and made a decision to accept Christ. Right away I knew something supernatural had happened to me.

The witness at uni. – light comes. When you hear the gospel, you are hearing truth and the knowledge received is light.  Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life. (John 8:12 AMP)

Attend church – knowledge comes. Hearing again the message of the gospel makes the light even brighter, the call more clear. All things have been entrusted and delivered to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son deliberately wills to make Him known. (Matthew 11:27 AMP)

Thinking it through – assent.  There comes a point where we have opportunity to respond and then a person makes a choice to agree or not that I must be saved.  But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–[Isa. 56:5.] (John 1:12 AMP)

Going to Church a second time and responding to an invitation – Trust –  The decision to agree and then respond to the gospel if followed by placing ones trust in Jesus Christ. Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] shall not in any way enter it [at all]. (Luke 18:17 AMP)

Salvation comes through faith alone, and the simple process of how it works is knowledge, assent, then trust. There must be a knowledge of ones need for salvation and also of the offer of pardon granted through Jesus Christ. Secondly there must be assent, you agree that you need Jesus. You agree that you are lost without hope. After that there is a decision to trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation.

Repentance, a word that simply means to change your mind, and faith are two sides of the one coin. It’s not important to analyse which comes first or if there is any time factor involved at all; however at the time when one is saved faith is enabled by God, faith to believe the promise of salvation. Repentance is granted by God to change ones mind. That means to turn to Christ and to turn away from the old way of life. Repentance is a whole sale change of heart and means humility acknowledging that you were previously lost and were in enmity with God.

Faith isn’t hope. Faith is knowledge spiritually acquired and comes by way of revelation.

One doesn’t simply hope that by believing in God and attending church that God will accept you when you die. That is a vain hope. It’s religion really. Faith is a knowledge that you have got it! You have an assurance that you have Christ on the inside, you already are a child of the living God and you are adopted into the family of God.

TENETS OF FAITH

Tenets of faith means the important statements that express what we believe about these important topics.

  1. Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ, the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross as He died a substitutionary death for all mankind and not by any works a man can do.
  2. All mankind is in need of salvation
  3. Only through Jesus Christ can a person obtain salvation.
  4. Salvation is available to all who turn to Christ calling on His name.
  5. God is sovereign in His choosing of who will be saved and this is known as predestination.

THE STORY OF ABRAHAM

Reading Gen 12:1-4

12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation,  and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.

Abraham was called. God communicated to him and asked him to do something in obedience.

GOD CALLS US – IT MAYBE IN OUR YOUTH OR LATER IN LIFE. IT’S A CALL TO GO; TO OBEY HIM.

A journey began, this part of Abraham’s life was a challenge and a promise. The challenge to go, obey and trust, and a promise of blessing and also to be part of Gods great plan to bless the whole earth with His salvation.

WHEN GOD CALLS YOU – THERE’S SOMETHING TO LEAVE AND YOU ARE CALLED TO TRUST AND ALSO THERE IS PROMISE OF BLESSING AND ALSO TO BE PART OF HIS GREAT PLAN. THE GOSPEL TO GO TO THE WHOLE EARTH.

Abraham began the Journey with no clear picture of where he would end up.

THE SAME FOR US.

While he began in faith, there was mixture in Abraham’s life, fear, lying, trying to accomplish Gods will in his own way etc.

THE FAITH JOURNEY IS NOT WITHOUT UPS AND DOWNS. WE SOMETIMES FAIL AND TAKE BACKWARD STEPS. BUT GOD IS PLEASED WITH FAITH AND HE WILL WORK WITHIN YOU TO ENCOURAGE INSPIRE AND ENABLE YOU TO WALK IN FAITH. YOU WILL GRADUALLY TRANSITION FROM TRUSTING IN YOURSELF AND YOUR OWN WAYS TO TRUSTING IN GOD COMPLETELY.

Initially Abraham experienced blessings even before God gave him his own son.

ALONG THE WAY IN OUR JOURNEY WE EXPERIENCE ANSWERS TO PRAYER AND GODS PROVISION TO TEACH US HE IS TRUSTWORTHY.

In Gen 15:1 God reveals Himself in a new way, as El Shaddai the all sufficient one.

Abraham immediately asks for the impossible. – a son.

It’s a big ask but God says yes and promises even bigger, not just a son but nations shall come out of you!

Right then Abraham has knowledge of Gods ability, he gives assent to His will and trusts that God will do as He has promised. Abraham believes God and God accounts to him righteousness.

GOD IS LOOKING FOR FAITH, IS PLEASED WITH FAITH, AND IS PASSIONATE ABOUT JOINING US INTO HIS PLAN.

HOW DO I KNOW I’M SAVED?

There’s been a life change.

A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration]. (Matthew 7:18 AMP)

There’s fruit of repentance in your life.

Bear fruits that are deserving and consistent with [your] repentance [that is, conduct worthy of a heart changed, a heart abhorring sin]. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father; for I tell you that God is able from these stones to raise up descendants for Abraham. (Luke 3:8 AMP)

You have an assurance that you belong to Him and you’re going there.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Have some members of the group share the story of how they came to be a Christian – your testimony.

2. Can anyone identify the steps of their salvation as knowledge, assent, trust?

3. What was your experience in terms of how you life changed after committing your life to Christ.

4. Now that you are a Christian, how do you feel about being part of His plan and purpose?

5. How can you share His plan for salvation to others?

Read Full Post »

TRUST AND FAITH

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, FAITH, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 17, 2015| Leave a Comment »

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH #3PM# FAITH

FAITH AND TRUST

Understanding faith is a lifetime journey, yet it is so simple. Jesus spoke about faith over and over again and marvelled that His disciples often had so little faith, as if that was so astounding. Here’s what Jesus says about the simplicity of faith.

Matthew 18:3 (AMP)

3 And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all].

What is faith? Do you have faith? Is the faith you have that the chair you’re sitting on is going to hold you up and not collapse any different from the faith one has in God?

Faith is the confident assurance that God is who He said He is. Faith is the knowledge, spiritually received, that what God said is true and you can rely on it. Faith is actually given to you by God himself.

Romans 12:3 (AMP)

3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.

God designed you and me to use faith and to walk in faith as we interact with Him. One of the most important ingredients in faith is trust. You can have faith in God when you trust Him. That trust must be in the same manner as a little child trusts, as we see from the verse we first read. What is trust? The bible word for trust in the old and new testaments means to flee for refuge to a safe place, to be confident, to be sure, to rely with inward certainty.

Do you trust God? Would He ever let you down?

Here’s some examples of trust.

One day, while my son Zac and I were out in the country, climbing around in some cliffs, I heard a voice from above me yell, “Hey Dad! Catch me!” I turned around to see Zac joyfully jumping off a rock straight at me. He had jumped and then yelled “Hey Dad!” I became an instant circus act, catching him. We both fell to the ground. For a moment after I caught him I could hardly talk.

When I found my voice again I gasped in exasperation: “Zac! Can you give me one good reason why you did that???”

He responded with remarkable calmness: “Sure…because you’re my Dad.” His whole assurance was based in the fact that his father was trustworthy. He could live life to the hilt because I could be trusted. Isn’t this even more true for a Christian?

Tim Hansel, Holy Sweat, 1987, Word Books Publisher, pp. 46-47.

There is no situation I can get into that God cannot get me out. Some years ago when I was learning to fly, my instructor told me to put the plane into a steep and extended dive. I was totally unprepared for what was about to happen. After a brief time the engine stalled, and the plane began to plunge out-of-control. It soon became evident that the instructor was not going to help me at all. After a few seconds, which seemed like eternity, my mind began to function again. I quickly corrected the situation.

Immediately I turned to the instructor and began to vent my fearful frustrations on him. He very calmly said to me, “There is no position you can get this airplane into that I cannot get you out of. If you want to learn to fly, go up there and do it again.” At that moment God seemed to be saying to me, “Remember this. As you serve Me, there is no situation you can get yourself into that I cannot get you out of. If you trust me, you will be all right.”  That lesson has been proven true in my ministry many times over the years.

James Brown, Evangeline Baptist Church, Wildsville, LA, in Discoveries, Fall, 1991, Vol. 2, No. 4.

A television program preceding the 1988 Winter Olympics featured blind skiers being trained for slalom skiing, impossible as that sounds. Paired with sighted skiers, the blind skiers were taught on the flats how to make right and left turns. When that was mastered, they were taken to the slalom slope, where their sighted partners skied beside them shouting, “Left!” and “Right!” As they obeyed the commands, they were able to negotiate the course and cross the finish line, depending solely on the sighted skiers’ word. It was either complete trust or catastrophe.

What a vivid picture of the Christian life! In this world, we are in reality blind about what course to take. We must rely solely on the Word of the only One who is truly sighted–God Himself. His Word gives us the direction we need to finish the course.

Robert W. Sutton.

Blind sailor gets healed http://youtu.be/pi-8ILvRBOM

Would you go sailing with a blind sailor? Would that seem dangerous to you?

What about sliding into a bobsleigh and careering down the icy track reaching speeds of 160 kms per hour – with a blind driver?

Blind Bobsledder Steve Holcomb – http://youtu.be/5KvwdEsrqEY

A lot of people trust themselves and yet find it hard to trust God which doesn’t seem to make sense! God is trust worthy, no doubt, because He is perfect and cannot lie. Yet many times we don’t trust Him because we doubt that He loves us completely. We think that God would ignore us, or forget us, or treat us as we deserve because of our failures.

So God encourages us to trust Him many times in the bible.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (AMP)

Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.

Having faith in God means putting your whole trust in Him, even when you don’t see how it’s going to work. Even when it seems crazy to trust Him, even if you can’t see any way that things could possibly work out, you’re going to trust in Him and rely on Him – that’s trust. Here’s a great example from the bible.

Matt 14:24-31 (AMP)

24 But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs [a furlong is one-eighth of a mile] distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them.

25 And in the fourth watch [between 3:00—6:00 a.m.] of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.

26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright.

27 But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I Am! Stop being afraid!

28 And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.

29 He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.

30 But when he perceived and felt the strong wind, he was frightened, and as he began to sink, he cried out, Lord, save me [from death]!

31 Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and caught and held him, saying to him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt?

Imagine Peter stepping out of the boat. Imagine what thoughts he would have to overcome in his mind to place his foot down onto the water to step out of the boat.

Now it’s your turn to walk on water. God hasn’t changed. He’s the same yesterday today and forever. So ask Him to call you onto the water and get ready to step out.

What are you going to do this year that you have never tried before?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What things that happen to people cause them to loose trust in others?

2. What kind of things happen to people that they blame God for?

3. Are these examples of God not caring for us?

4. How can we trust God? Is He trustworthy?

5. Discuss what trust as a little child looks like.

 

Read Full Post »

BORN TO BELIEVE

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH # 2 amFaith-440x330

Assumptions

  1. All scripture is divinely inspired and without error. Please see our teaching on this at this podcast.
  2. James 1:22 Amplified Bible (AMP) 22 But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth].

Understanding Faith is the great journey of the Christian life. From the very beginning of the journey to know God, the Christian uses faith to obtain the very first promise of receiving forgiveness and obtaining eternal life. Then the new life lived with God in relationship requires that faith is active and growing throughout the whole of the Christian life.

Four times in the scriptures God says “The just shall live by faith.” To live by faith means that faith is the primary ingredient in our walk with God. The essential nature of faith comes evident when we discover that as created beings God made man to have faith and use faith to participate in His world through relationship with God.

In Habakkuk where we find the first mention of the just shall live by faith there is an interesting footnote by a biblical commentator:

“Habakkuk 2:4 – There is a curious passage in the Talmud [the body of Jewish civil and religious law] which says that Moses gave six hundred injunctions to the Israelites. As these commands might prove too numerous to commit to memory, David brought them down to eleven in Psalm 15. Isaiah reduced these eleven to six in [his] chapter 33:15. Micah (6:8) further reduced them to three; and Isaiah (56:1) once more brought them down to two. These two Amos (5:4) reduced to one. However, lest it might be supposed from this that God could be found only in the fulfilment of the law, Habakkuk (2:4 kjv) said, “The just shall live by his faith”” (William H. Saulez, The Romance of the Hebrew Language).

What does it mean to live by faith?

It means that your success in life in which you meet and know God and conduct a supernatural relationship with Him is made possible only by having and using faith. The verse has the understanding that one’s life comes out of and proceeds from faith. How else might someone live? By human knowledge, by the senses, by making every decision and choice about life through the natural man’s resources of the five senses.

2 Corinthians 5:7 – For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervour; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.(AMP)

For example, do you trust in God’s provision? Each and every day we make choices after considering the information concerning our resources. Do I have enough money? Will my decisions and my feelings be regulated by what I see in my bank account? Or will they be regulated by what God has promised to me and every believer? A promise such as Phil 4:19 – “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Glory” can bring confidence and hope to your outlook. Faith is the knowledge that the promise is trustworthy and you can count on it. It carries more weight than the 5 senses information of what’s in the bank.

Each and every day, as a Christian believer, God has designed that we live by faith. It’s normal and natural for this “animal” to live by faith. Like a fish breaths water and a mammal breaths air, a Christian uses faith to exist and prosper in this supernatural life we have. We are not created to live life attached to the umbilical cord of sense knowledge alone. We are created to function and prosper by using faith to know God’s word and His will and function accordingly. It’s by nature a life lived supernaturally.

Just imagine you wake up tomorrow morning and you have a tummy ache. What’s your first thought? This is uncomfortable! I don’t want this pain and discomfort! Now what’s your next thought? (This will be the test of live by faith or live by natural knowledge.) I imagine that a majority of Christians reach for the medication bottle first, and to be honest, I would probably do that many times, unless it’s severe and then I make the faith step of talking to God about it. Asking in prayer for divine intervention is the first step in living by faith. But listen to this: if you’re living vitally connected to Jesus and filled with His word you will know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and no plague can come near your dwelling. What’s more, nothing shall by any means hurt you. So the first reaction to a tummy ache from a man or woman of faith is: “Get off me pain!! You have no right or place in me!!” And then get on with your day whether the pain goes immediately or after several hours the mind is rested and content in God’s activity being set in motion and His will has been accomplished. All is set right and from now on I am not dictated to by feelings or what I see but I am resting in the promise and kindness of God.

All day every day you and I make decisions and experience feelings that spring from knowledge. Is that knowledge mere sense knowledge, or are we making decisions and experiencing feelings that spring from supernatural knowledge of Gods’ promises and provision? That latter experience is living by faith and my main thought that I want to get across today is that God created and designed you to operate in this faith life, not to be hamstrung and hobbled by living entirely out of the 5 senses and experiencing only natural knowledge.

God has faith.  Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.(NLT) God created all things by faith. God created something from nothing and fashioned it not by skilful hands but by His words. God operates exclusively by faith.

We are created in His likeness. Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” (NLT)

Human beings are created in the likeness of God. We are created to be like God, that is, to have a spirit and be in union with God knowing and understanding His will and His way. Listen to how Jesus describes this… John 15:4-8  Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. (NLT)

Hebrews 11:6 Amplified Bible (AMP)  But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]. When we meet Jesus and receive this new life in Christ, of course we want to please Him, Right?

Living this life with God is glorious and exciting. It’s filled with challenges and God is interested in seeing you grow in faith because then you are becoming closer and closer to the intended design. Live by faith not by sight.

So how shall we respond to this message? Choose to live by faith. Get into God’s word and think deeply on it. When making any decision, consider first – “what do I know about what God says to me about this?” Make faith decisions. Consider the promise first before the sense knowledge dictates the outcome. Use faith for all the little things so that your faith grows and when the big things come along you are prepared.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What kind of information comes to us through our five senses? give some examples.

2. What kind of information comes to us by faith from God?

3. What do you think Paul is trying to say in 2 Cor 5:7?

4. Is it hard to make decisions out of faith rather than what we see by our own five senses?

5. How would you build your reliance on faith?

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »