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Posts Tagged ‘Answers’

CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT?

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »

LOVE LIMITLESS # 2 PM

CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT?Love Limitless

Some people are so ugly they are referred to as someone with a face “only a mother could love.” Let’s face it mothers deserve a break… They put up with a lot and they still love their rotten to the core offspring! So who here has a mother? And tell me does your mother love you?  My mother only watched me play football once! She wanted to go on the field and “Bop the guy who tackled me.” So your mother loves you, right? So can you feel her love right now? Maybe if you think about it a bit you can sense that reality, right? What about God’s love, can you feel that?

The facts: Jesus lived in Palestine around 2000 years ago, He claimed to be the son of God. He died on a cross and his followers told of how He rose again from the dead.

The Motivation: John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (ESV)

The Connection: God’s love demonstrated in this act of surrender can be experienced or not depending on your receptivity.

Let’s look at those who were and who weren’t affected by this love.

  1. Barabbas – Doomed to die for crimes of insurrection, but now pardoned instead of Jesus. Did he ever stop to think that Jesus went to death in his place? So close he came to losing his life, but Pilate wanting to release Jesus was forced by the crowd to crucify Him and release Barabbas instead.- Did he feel the love?
  2. One Bitter Thief – This man crucified with Jesus cries out: Luke 23:39  One of the criminals who was suspended kept up a railing at Him, saying, Are You not the Christ (the Messiah)? Rescue Yourself and us from death! (AMP) His one time meeting with Jesus who died for him was brief but ineffective. Did he feel the love?
  3. One open hearted thief – The other thief rebuked the first and could clearly see Jesus was who He said He was – The Son of God and not worthy of this ignominious death, unlike himself who deserved all he got due to his many wrongs. He said: Luke 23:40-43

40But the other one reproved him, saying, Do you not even fear God, seeing you yourself are under the same sentence of condemnation and suffering the same penalty?

41 And we indeed suffer it justly, receiving the due reward of our actions; but this Man has done nothing out of the way [nothing strange or eccentric or perverse or unreasonable].

42 Then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingly glory!

43 And He answered him, Truly I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.

  1. John the disciple – As John watched the agony of the crucifixion, he was moved to do what he could to alleviate Jesus pain. All that rushed through his head and heart were those things that Jesus had repeatedly told the disciples over and over: I will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes to be killed; to give my life a ransom for many, for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. And so the words rang in his head and heart; but to see the agony in such a graphic scene must have broken his heart.

 

  1. Mary the mother of Jesus – For thirty three years she watched her beloved son grow up. She watched Him fall down as He tried to walk at a tender age, she watched him learn his father’s trade at carpentry, She wondered at His amazing wisdom that arose so early in His life as He lived in the reading of the old testament writings. Now as she watches the crucifixion, His agony is her agony. This is not another man tortured for his crimes but her beloved Son in complete agony. Yet over and over He had told her: this is why, because of my father’s love. It ripped her heart out but she saw the love first hand.

Millions have heard of His love. His love for them. Millions have let that love pass them seemingly unaffected. Millions more have been deeply affected by this love, this limitless love. Whether this love affects you or not is not up to God but up to you!

I can tell you all the facts of the greatest act of Love, but whether it affects you or not depends on you and where you stand. Where do you stand tonight? What affects you? What moves you? Will you allow your heart to be moved and if not why not?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What does love feel like? What about God’s love?

2. How is it some people are open to God and others are not?

3. How open are you to God?

4. What can you do to be more open to God, more willing to listen to Him, more willing to hear His voice?

5. Could you become more responsive to God’s love?

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LOVE ONLINE

Posted in Church, Culture Watch, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »

LOVE ANOTHER  5PMonline dating

LOVE ONLINE

FINDING LOVE

Proverbs 18:22 The Message (MSG) – Find a good spouse, you find a good life —
and even more: the favour of God!

Dating websites abound. Figures released last week from Fairfax-owned RSVP’s annual Date of the Nation report show Australians have reached a tipping point – 51 per cent of us have tried finding love online or would consider it a viable match-making option. While not a direct comparison, the same report in 2010 showed that just 25 per cent of Australians had used online dating. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/online-dating-the-marriage-maker-20130709-2pmv0.html#ixzz2xPlp7MAu

What is the reason? People find it hard to find a friend because they don’t know who’s looking and they hate rejection. Perhaps the stigma attached to it has largely gone, with the surge due to our increasingly time-poor, technology-driven lives and the fact online dating is now an accepted part of popular culture. Now we are over the 50 per cent mark, it’s really suggesting it’s becoming commonplace.

The upside. Quality websites that have a good reputation do personality matching. You have a much higher chance of meeting someone that firstly wants a relationship and secondly is more suited to you. American survey released last month of 19,000 people, which showed those who met their partners online were happier and less likely to divorce.

The downside. It’s only works if the person has been honest. You can meet someone who takes you down. If you’re easily influenced then it’s dangerous for you. When you go online with your personal details, there is only a 1 in 6 chance a man will respond to a woman’s message regardless of her age. [44]; however the average man has only a 1 in 25 chance a woman will respond to his message on a dating site. [44]; and 54% of dating site users have found someone who has misrepresented themselves in their dating profile. [49]

Long distance relationships. What if Mr. Right lives in Bolivia? If Miss Right lives in California?

It can be very expensive.

The stats are on your side if you use a reputable website and you are prepared to stick at it and meet a few people.

DANGEROUS LOVE

Love is dangerous on the net when:

  1. You are looking for relationship and you meet a predator.  Recently a world-wide porn ring was busted and some victims were Australia teens. http://www.echo.net.au/2014/03/aust-victims-massive-us-child-porn-ring/
  2. Pornography gets a grip on you. The stats for porn use among teens and adults in Australia is high and rising. Strangely the porn use addiction is much worse among Christians than among non Christians. The Christian psychologist and internationally known speaker Robi Sonderegger reports that studies on the human brain show that addictions are harder to break when the victim suffers shame and guilt. The non- Christian may actually believe there’s nothing wrong with watching porn as long they keep it under control. However very authentic Christian believer knows the word of God has string warnings against un cleanses and sexual immorality. This means that once the Christian crosses the line in temptation,the guilt and shame that kicks in almost guarantees that the victim will go back to those prohibited images. http://phot-o-live.livejournal.com/83819.html
  3. Bullying takes away love. When your communications on line are not building you up – take decisive action. The bully hides behind a made up identity or they may be a real person but they hide behind a remote screen where they think what they says is funny or makes them feel bigger. When you get bullied, do this…
    1. Tell someone, show someone the comment. Never walk through this alone.
    2. Record the comment.
    3. Warn the bully, it’s not appropriate, if it continues you will take action.
    4. If it continues, unfriend, block, and remove the link in what ever way you can.
    5. If they continue someway, call the local police and report the bullying and show the recordings you have (screenshots etc)

 

SHARING LOVE

When sharing love the best way to get a read on someone is face to face, then phone call, then written. What you see written online has potential to be misread. A text or Facebook comment does not contain facial expression, body language, or tone of voice. That means that when you share your love and friendship online it needs to be very clear.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Romans 12:9, 10 NLT)

If you’re going to vent, never make it personal. You can say you’re ticked with the MYKI system but not with an individual.   Why are people sometimes so rude online? The Wall Street Journal shows some research about it here: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10000872396390444592404578030351784405148

We’re less inhibited online because we don’t have to see the reaction of the person we’re addressing, says Sherry Turkle, psychologist and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor of the social studies of science and technology. Because it’s harder to see and focus on what we have in common, we tend to dehumanize each other, she says.

Astoundingly, Dr. Turkle says, many people still forget that they’re speaking out loud when they communicate online.

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I PRAYED FOR YOU TODAY!

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »

LOVE ANOTHER # 5AMLOVE ANOTHER

WORDS OF LOVE

This month our theme of Love Another is a powerful encouragement to turn our love loose on one another in the same manner that Jesus loves us. We determine to love the brothers and sisters that God has placed us with. You can’t choose your relatives in the natural sense and neither can you in the spiritual sense. God places us together. Any reluctance to love a certain annoying brother or sister reveals the tendency in us to fail to see ourselves as we are. It’s not all about you! As a church we are continuously others focussed.

Today we are focussing on words of love.

How would you like to help create such a powerful atmosphere of love and encouragement that whenever members of this church gather together on Friday night, Sunday or in Urban Connect Groups that people always leave feeling uplifted, inspired and loved? Do you realise you are all ministers of the Spirit? You are creating the culture and atmosphere of this local church by what you say and do when gathered together? Our words can be uplifting or they can be hurtful. Being sensitive to others is part of love, realising how people hear or receive what you say is important also. As Australians we are good at sarcasm, but it only works when trust is high.

EXAMPLES OF TYPICAL AUSSIE-SPEAK

A red head is called – “Bluey”

A really tall bloke can be referred to as “Shorty”

A big overweight bloke as “Tiny”

If you’re going to use this kind of approach with people, only do it when you have built up a deep trusting friendship first.

There is a powerful tool we have at our disposal. The words of our mouth. Let’s look at James 3:1-12

Dear brothers and sisters,[a] not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.[b]

7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.[c]  (NLT)

Your words are very powerful! Love another means being kind with your words. With our words we can bless another. Ephesians 4:29-31 trains us in the way we speak to one another:

29 Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

31 Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).(AMP)

Do you know the power of your words? When you criticise attack and vilify another person when they are not there, you are speaking words into the air, there’s passion behind them and that constitutes prayer of the most destructive kind.

 

Your words are not just sound waves but they have spiritual effect! John 6:63 teaches us that: It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life. (AMP)

So your words are powerful and have spiritual impact. When we curse or talk negatively about one another we make room for demonic forces to attack and hinder God’s people.  Look at this unusual verse in Ecclesiastes 10:20

Curse not the king, no, not even in your thoughts, and curse not the rich in your bedchamber, for a bird of the air will carry the voice, and a winged creature will tell the matter.(AMP)

Loving another is more than just not gossiping or not talking negatively; it’s speaking words of life over them. It means speaking words of encouragement to people and also about them to others when they are not there.

PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER

The best way to let your words be loving and up-building is to pray for your brothers and sisters. Your prayers are very powerful. In our local church often members are asking for prayer through Facebook or by calling the church or me or John personally. We send out prayer requests on email or if it’s not sensitive in nature on Facebook at the church group page and people begin to pray. Often there is a positive result.

James 5:16 Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].(AMP)

Often Paul asks for prayer, and it’s not only the leaders that need prayer, we all do. This is especially the work of our small groups called Urban Connect groups. When your part of an UC group your fellow members will be praying for you. UC leaders I ask that you pray for your members regularly, every day if possible. Listen to Paul’s requests:

1 Thess 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.

2 Thess 3:1 Furthermore, brethren, do pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may speed on (spread rapidly and run its course) and be glorified (extolled) and triumph, even as [it has done] with you,(AMP)

Heb 13:18 Keep praying for us, for we are convinced that we have a good (clear) conscience, that we want to walk uprightly and live a noble life, acting honorably and in complete honesty in all things.(AMP)

When you love people, you pray for them. How do you pray for another.

  1. Pray for blessing, grace and favour; for God’s mercy to be poured out on them.
  2. Pray the Lord’s will be done. (Luke 11:2 When you pray, say: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come. Your will be done [held holy and revered] on earth as it is in heaven.)
  3. Specifically for their prayer request, calling to remembrance the scriptures that promise answers.

Don’t pray against anyone, all men are precious to God, pray and bind demonic forces. Matt 16:19  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[d] in heaven.(ESV)

Famous Korean Pastor Dr. Yonghi Cho was preaching on prayer once and remarked how he was so upset with his deacons that he wanted to pray – “Dear God, Please give them a heart attack!” Try to avoid prayers like that one. A really powerful way to pray for others is to ask for God’s mercy to be poured out on them.

KIDS PRAYERS – They are so honest with their prayers.

Dear God, I went to this wedding and they were kissing right there in church. Is that OK?
Dear God, thank You for the baby brother but what I prayed for was a puppy.
Dear God, it must be super hard to love all the people in the world, especially my brother. I don’t know how You do it.
Dear God, Did you mean for a Giraffe to look like that or was it an accident?                                                                                                                 Dear God, I think about you sometimes even when I’m not praying.                                                                                                                               Dear God, If you give me a genie lamp, like Aladdin, I will give you anything you want, except my money or my chess set.                     Dear God, If you watch in church on Sunday I’ll show you my new shoes.

Make room in your prayer life to pray for your brothers and sisters in your own local church regularly. As you pray for one another, you are exercising love. AS God answers these prayers, blessings flow and the church edifies itself growing up I love.

WHAT NOW?

Keep your words to one another sweet and encouraging. Don’t speak negatively about one another behind their backs. Make a habit to pray for others.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. How would you define gossip?

2. Why is gossip destructive?

3. What should your response be when someone speaks negatively about another brother or sister to you?

4.  How do you feel when you know others are praying for you?

5. How can you make room in your life to pray for others?

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DO YOU LOVE ME?

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

LOVE ROMANCES # 4 PM pay_the_price

Do you love me?

When your significant other asks you the question, “Do you really love me?” We cringe and think – “Yes, well of course I do, but where is this leading?”  “What do you want?” “Well…” They answer sheepishly, “You know that diamond ring I’ve been looking at in the Michael Hill jewellers store lately? Well, it’s on sale at half price!”

Now we pit the depth of love for the little lady against the depth of love we have for the three thousand dollars we have saved up; and all the different things that money could do instead of buying a diamond ring. Life is full of choices like that.

“Do you love me?” Your mother says to you. “Then you’ll be home by 11 o’clock tonight.”

“Do you love me?” Your husband says to you. “Then you’ll let me go on this fishing trip with the boys to wolf creek.”

“Do you love me?” Your work colleague says to you in the corridor at work? “Then cover for me doing this extra shift, so I can go to a wedding interstate.”

“Do you love me?” Your old school friend says to you. “Then you’ll let me stash this stolen property in your garage for a couple of days while I find a place to stay then I’ll move it back.”

There’s the love commitment; and there’s always the cost.

Jesus said to Peter the disciple, “Do you love me?”

What a question! Loaded with so many expectations. When Jesus asks do you love Him, that’s totally different to anyone else in this world asking, do you love me? What’s more difficult is that Peter had just let Jesus down big time. Like, really let him down! Like betrayal at the big moment in Jesus’ life when He really needed support.

No pressure Peter, but “do you love me?”

There’s a cost, there’s always a cost. Peter was waiting for the cost. What would it be?

  • Confess my sin to all the disciples?
  • Give away all my money and possessions like Jesus asked of the rich young ruler?
  • Go back and tell the Roman guards that, Yes. I was the one who was with Jesus.

No; the cost was just this, Feed my sheep. – is that it? Is that all? Is that your best shot?

That is a statement of purpose. Jesus is always on purpose. Not a “make-you-feel-good” purpose, a kingdom purpose.

So I’ll ask you this same question tonight. Do you love Jesus?

Yes there is a cost. Will you baulk at it? Will you say yes now, and walk away later? Will you genuinely and sincerely mean yes now, but just never pay the price and have endless excuses as to why it was too hard for you?

Do you love me Peter, was followed by the next two times Jesus asked the same question. Peter was wondering why that was necessary. Didn’t Jesus believe him the first time? As usual Jesus had a reason for asking the same thing three times, and whether it was because Peter denied Him three times or not; it worked! Peter was restored and not just one of the boys but the lead preacher and top disciple in Jesus band of unlikely world changers.

You see Jesus prepared Peter for the kind of cost that he would later be asked to when He goes on to say, John 21:18 “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, when you were young you girded yourself [put on your own belt or girdle] and you walked about wherever you pleased to go. But when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will put a girdle around you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” There was going to be a cost for Peter to pay, and it was more than any of us will ever pay.

Are you ready for the question? Do you love Jesus? Sure there’s a price to pay when you answer that Question. So, will you answer it?

Paul talks about the price of that question when he says, Phil 3:7-8 7 But whatever former things I had, that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [[a]one combined] loss for Christ’s sake.

8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One),

This is why we read the bible…. This kind of statement is loaded with so much truth and value as to what it means to follow Jesus. Do you love Him? It will cost you everything.

Teeny price I have paid, left well paid career, abused for following Christ, punched twice, endured hardship. What price will you pay to follow Jesus?

Jesus is asking you, “Do you love me?” The answer is in your heart. And if you want to know whether you do already love Him here’s the test….

John 14:15 If you [really] love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands. (AMP)

The story of Brother Yun in China shows pretty much the ultimate price a man could pay to follow Jesus. (Read the book) If you love Jesus in Australia today there may come some ridicule or maybe even some workplace bullying or persecution, but we get it pretty easy. Still there is a price to pay and that’s “Not my will but yours be done” – It’s all the things you want to do in your life but it isn’t what Jesus wants for you.

Sometimes obeying Jesus commands is dead easy, other times it takes every bit of courage and strength you’ve got. So what’ll it be? Do you love Him or not?

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REAL MEN WORSHIP GOD

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, Worship, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 1, 2014| 1 Comment »

LOVE ROMANCES # 1 AMLOVE ROMANCES

Well of course this month contains Valentine’s day, and as all good husbands know, it’s important to do something nice for the little woman to show her that romance is not dead; pretty sick maybe but not dead!

That being the case as we are talking about LOVE this year, and so February’s theme is LOVE ROMANCES. It’s about the love we have for God.

Are you in love with God?

If you are, how do you show it? “Love romances” is a story about how we express our love to God. If we love anyone truly, then of course we express it in many ways and the ways we express it shows that we love, and how much we love. Romantic love is defined as: love idealised for its purity and beauty, and, thinking about love and doing and saying things to show that you love someone. My definition of romantic love is: doing something special or creative to demonstrate that your special someone is very precious to you. It’s more often practiced by men towards women although women think about it more often and are more likely to see great value in it compared to men.

When we consider loving Jesus look at the great example of John the apostle in the gospels.

John 13:21-25

21 After Jesus had said these things, He was troubled (disturbed, agitated) in spirit and said, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, one of you will deliver Me up [one of you will be false to Me and betray Me]!

22 The disciples kept looking at one another, puzzled as to whom He could mean.

23 One of His disciples, whom Jesus loved [whom He esteemed and delighted in], was reclining [next to Him] on Jesus’ bosom.

24 So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask of whom He was speaking.

25 Then leaning back against Jesus’ breast, he asked Him, Lord, who is it? (AMP)

 

What a beautiful picture of intimacy!

John, who calls himself the “disciple whom Jesus loved,” has this amazing love relationship with Jesus. No wonder he wrote the first epistle of John which speaks so powerfully about love; and no wonder he was the only disciple present at the cross as Jesus died. John expressed his love for Jesus by being there and by committing to look after His mother, Mary.

Do you love Jesus? If so how do you express it?

Last week we shared a very significant message about David being a man after God’s own heart. This was because he was a worshipper. The key thought last week was – God is seeking such to worship Him.

We saw how incredibly successful David was as a King leading Israel to wealth and prosperity unseen from that time to this.

With David’s life and story occupying 66 chapters of the bible, more than anyone else other than Jesus, and his great success as a king, and God’s endorsement of him as “a man after God’s own heart”; you would think God wanted us to notice something about David! If Abraham is noted for faith and Moses for the law and Elijah and Elisha for miracles, what is David noted for?

He was a worshipper. He was a strong man AND he was a worshiper. He was a man of war AND he was a worshiper. He was a man’s man AND he was a worshiper. He was a man of incredible courage AND he was a worshiper.

Are you getting the message? In Australia, some great guys have been led astray by the thought that it’s not manly to worship God. Nuh!! Typical Aussie culture is that church is for women and kids! What a deception!!

If we are going to share a whole year on LOVE, then we will be speaking at some time about the love relationship between a believer and their Lord.

David learned to worship God as a young shepherd alone on the hills of Judea. Listen to one of his psalms (He wrote 78 of the ones in the bible)

Psalm 42:1-2

1As the deer pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God.

2 My inner self thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God?

David learned to worship, he was led by the spirit of God and he had super revelations about God. Ps 89:26 He shall cry to Me, You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation! In the Old Testament God is always knows as Yahweh or Elohim the Lord God; but David has a revelation of God as a Father, which Jesus later reveals in the New Testament. He prophesies about Jesus on the cross when he writes:  Ps 129:3 The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.

Later when disaster struck and his wife and children were captured and all his men likewise after their city was overrun; he goes to the place of worship in 1 Samuel 30:6 David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

David had only one bullet – worship.

At last when he was king and reigning in Jerusalem he brings back the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. We shared about this last week, and I want to show you again how David’s love for God was so great, and his life of worship was his key to greatness.

2 Sam 6:13

 12 And it was told King David, The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David with rejoicing;

13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might, clad in a linen ephod [a priest’s upper garment].

15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter [David’s wife], looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

In the story when David brings back the ark to Jerusalem he brings it 10 kms. from the house of Obed Edom to Jerusalem. Every six paces he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. If a pace is about 80 cms. then that’s 12,500 steps, or 2083 stops to sacrifice oxen and fatlings. If the priest took say 30 mins to prepare and sacrifice an oxen and a fatling, that’s 43 days nonstop or 86 days or three months if you work only in the day just to travel 10 kms! Imagine the cost of the sacrifices! Can you see the exquisite passion of David for God’s presence?

Do you love Jesus? If so, how do you show it?

In Acts 15:16 the bible talks about David’s passion for worship impacting our generation.

16 “‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant[b] of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.’ (ESV)

Tabernacle of David is this place of worship. 288 singers singing in shifts around the clock for 33 years. God chose to restore the tabernacle of David; He chose not to restore the tabernacle of Moses, nor the temple of Solomon but the tabernacle of David. Because God is seeking such to worship Him.

In this tabernacle, the tent flaps raised up access so the Ark of the Covenant could be seen. David invented instruments to play, there was 300 trumpeters – all priests. Cymbals, harps, lyres, and a multitude of other instruments all for the purpose of worship. In fact it says 276 instruments.

In Ps 22:3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.(ESV)  God gets comfortable when God’s people worship Him. God’s supernatural presence is promised when his people worship whole heartedly.

With the tent flaps rolled up gentiles could have access, women could have access.

The restoration of David’s tabernacle is praise and worship in the church, leading to the manifestation of God’s presence and power among us. Let me tell you about a Pastor in Mexico called David Hogan. When his church pastors and people come together and worship, they sing for 8 hours and then God comes. They are laid out for hours.

In church, perhaps many do not understand worship. We let everything discourage us from worshiping God. We say, “I don’t enjoy it, I don’t like these songs, I couldn’t get here in time. I didn’t miss anything.” We see worship as optional, but God sees it as the only time when He receives.

I don’t ever want my kids and grandkids to grow up in a church where there is no worship, or worse, half-hearted worship. When we praise, we get the breakthrough – like Jehoshaphat – the praisers went out before the soldiers.

They had just came out of a fast. Don’t take weapons, take the singers. If you’re believing God for great things, be a praiser and a worshipper. If we are going to praise Him forever, we better start practicing now. In heaven there’s no preachers only worshippers. Church is not only for you, it’s for your children and for your grandchildren – our music and our worship needs to stay relevant for every generation.

Maybe you have thought, “I don’t feel like it…”  Jesus probably didn’t feel like it when He went to the cross, but He had such a love for you and for me that He was compelled.

Praise may begin as the sacrifice of praise. But it ends with the whole heart. Like a love relationship in a marriage that can grow stale and become passionless, so we can take God for granted and praise falls away and worship dries up.

Do you love Jesus? If so how do you show it?

What Now?

It’s time for an attitude shakeup!!

It’s time for us to be a worshiping church more than ever before. It’s time for every man and every woman to put on the garment of praise and worship the living God. To be an example to our kids and grandkids. It’s time to get to church early, to value worship, because we love God, and we can’t wait to get together with God’s people to sing and shout and clap and dance and raise our hands to the one who gave it all for us! Shall we stand and worship right now!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Have you ever fallen in love with anyone? tell us your story.

2. Tell us how you fell in love with Jesus.

3. How do you express love to Jesus?

3. Why is praise and worship so vital in a church?

4.  Is our Aussie culture a hindrance to praise and worship?

5. What can you do to enter into praise and worship more in your life?

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YOU ARE A LOVE CREATURE

Posted in Church, Culture Watch, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 18, 2014| 1 Comment »

LOVE SEEKS # 3PM – THE LOVE STORY timthumb

You were made to love and be loved. You are a love creature. Just as a fish needs water to live in you need love to survive and flourish.

Perhaps the most famous love story ever told is Romeo and Juliet. A complicated tale of two feuding families which ends when Romeo thinks Juliet is dead and drinks poison. Later Juliet awakes and seeing Romeo dead stabs herself and dies. Only a love story could include so much pain. Shakespeare wrote a tragedy and the reason it is so powerful is that love is a very powerful motivating force.

Hollywood has made billions from movies about love. Some of the most famous movies about love are: Love Story, The Notebook, Titanic, When Harry Met Sally, Love actually, Pretty Woman, P.S. I love You, Sleepless in Seattle.

As a human being you are made by God to have the ability to love and be loved. It’s part of your make up, you can’t change it. You are a love creature. When babies are born if they are deprived of love they will die even though they have food and warmth.

Touch deprivation: http://goo.gl/uibLp3  and: http://goo.gl/YSuXoj

God reveals Himself as father – a term that speaks of relationship. God is Love. (1 John 4:8) We are made in His image, after His likeness. (Gen 1:26) Therefore we are like Him – a love creature.

To love is to value, to do good to another. It’s more than just feelings and emotions though these are very important, it is about the worth of the person being loved in the eyes of the one loving.

The bible uses the word love to translate five different Greek words.

  1. Mania – Manic love is almost not a love at all.  The word “lust” is probably not strong enough – “obsession” is closer to the word.
  2. Eros – Eros is obviously the root word for “erotic,” but it does not describe sexual love only, it actually describes all emotional love; the feeling of love.
  3. Philos – Philos love, or brotherly/friendship love.  Philos describes the love between two people who have common interests and experiences, or a fondness for.
  4. Storgy – Storgy is the love one has for a dependent.  It is commonly called “motherly love.”
  5. Agapeo –  Agape love is entirely about the lover, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the one loved.  Agape love, in its purest form, requires no response.  The most common word for God’s love for us is Agape (I John, John 3:16) and the love we are commanded to have for one another (Matt. 5:44, I Cor. 13 (http://goo.gl/2SJlEJ )

 

Ever wondered why your heart is referred to as the part that is broken when you experience loss of love or emotional upheavals? Like – it’s only a pump right?

World renowned Neuro-Scientist and author Caroline Leaf says:

“YOU ARE ‘WIRED FOR LOVE!’ – http://goo.gl/bb7tcz

And from her book “Who Switched Off My Brain”

by Caroline Leaf. http://goo.gl/RJxfP3

Toxic stress is particularly powerful because your heart is not just a pump. It is actually like another brain (and you thought you only had one brain!). Science demonstrates that your heart has its own independent nervous system, which is a complex system referred to as the “brain in the heart.”     There are at least 40,000 neurons (nerve cells) in the heart – as many as are found in various parts of the brain. In effect, the brain in your heart acts like a checking station for all the emotions generated by the flow of chemicals created by thoughts. It is proving to be a real intelligent force behind the intuitive thoughts and feelings you experience. The heart also produces an important biochemical substance called an atrial peptide (specifically ANF). It is the balance hormone that regulates many of your brain’s functions and stimulates behaviour.

New scientific evidence on the heart’s neurological sensitivity indicates there are lines of communication between the brain and the heart that check the accuracy and integrity of your thought life. The reality is, your heart is in constant communication with your brain and the rest of your body. The signals your heart sends to your brain influence not just perception and emotional processing, but higher cognitive functions as well.

When God reveals Himself as Father, this means His love is plural, because a Father can love more than one child and it is a pure and acceptable love. You are made to love and be loved. Love is the greatest of all human experiences and many movies have been made about finding love or losing love and finding it again.

The problem with love is that sin entered the world and messed things up. Messed with God’s plans of love. Love was hijacked and became self-centred.

2 Tim 3:2 For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. (AMP)

Love became a weapon of pain instead of a life giving force. Love was corrupted by sin. Love became love of things, lust, immoral sexual desire, love given and love taken away, broken hearts though love removed.

Love is not the problem, sin is the problem. Love is the answer. When Jesus went to the cross that was love in action! Romans 5: 8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.(AMP)

When sin wrecked humanity, God’s answer was love. God so loved the world – that He gave. The God who is love reached out to the creatures that he created with love as the answer to brokenness and to broken hearts.

Love conquers all, love overcomes all. Human love is magnificent but God’s love is all powerful. God Loves you, and He loved you enough to send His son to die for you because you are valuable to God.

But you must receive to be healed. – Let love in.

1. Have you ever suffered from a broken heart?

2. If God pours His love into your heart – how can you receive it?

3. First love is the love we have for God at the first – what’s it like/

4. Can you meditate on the love of God to you through the cross, how would you do it?

5. When you are full of God’s love how will you act?

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LOVE SEEKS 1

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 4, 2014| 1 Comment »

LOVE SEEKS #1AMMain Love Image 2014

INTRODUCING THE THEME FOR THE YEAR

This year we have a theme running through the entire year. The theme is Love.

I believe God has spoken to me over the last six months and given me the inspiration to lead our church on a love revolution. I am inviting you to join me in being changed by a deeper revelation of the love of God.

Here is our Key Verse for the year.

1 John 3:1

Amplified Bible (AMP)

 See what [[a]an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him.

God is love and to say that love is the answer seems trite and over simplified, yet I believe that for us as Christians the extent to which we understand that we are loved by God is the measure to which we have real life and can become whole and further, we can be an answer for other people.

Listen to this very important quote from a preacher called Graham Cooke –

“Our goal in this life is primarily to be radically loved by God and everything comes out of that place of love. So your goal is to let yourself be loved radically. Just as the Father has loved the Son, so He has every intention of loving you exactly like He loves Jesus. No more, no less. Jesus said, “Just as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you, abide in my love. Stay, dwell, remain. Don’t leave that place of being radically loved.” So whatever the Father is to Jesus, He is to you also. That’s favour.”

This will be a signature message to introduce the theme of Love for this year. I intend to give an overview and a panorama of the subject of Love so that it can be the basis of all our messages and our direction for this year.

When we say the word love, we are using a word with so many different meanings. We can use it in contexts like:

  • I love icecream.
  • A teenage girl says I love Harry from One Direction!
  • A Hollywood movie called “Love Actually” deals with all kinds of human love relationships.
  • The Beatles sang: Love, Love, Love, All ya need is love.
  • The bible says: Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church.
  • A mother loves her baby or her children.
  • The love of a dad for his kids is very important.
  • At the end of a phone call to my family I will say, “Love ya.”
  • For Christians we are called to love one another.
  • A slogan on a bill board when I was a teenager said “Make love not war”
  • A couple engaging in sex are said to be making love.
  • The love of the Father God is the subject of the whole bible.

All these different uses of the word love are legitimate, so what are we talking about this year? The love we are going to focus on this year is God’s love toward us and our love for one another and for the lost. Primarily the revelation of God’s love toward us is the revelation that can most radically change us and set us free to walk into the complete victory and place of sonship that God has ordained for us to walk in.

THE NEED

In my 36 years as a born again Christian and now 33 years full time ministry, I have seen the big picture of humanity and how messed up we are as human beings. Over the years we have counselled, loved and ministered to thousands of people who have needed real help to cope with life. You will not find a person who is completely 100% whole in their life, their soul, their inner world. You will not find a person who never fears, who never feels the tinge of failure, or is completely free from selfishness. Even those fortunate enough to be raised by Godly parents can have struggles with depression, or low self-esteem. So many struggle with illness, allergies, learning difficulties.

To say that life is all doom and gloom is far from the truth and most of us live out of a great sense of optimism and hope for the future and recognise that the world is not perfect and we make the best of every day. However, my point is that we are a people who have needs. We have a need to be saved, healed, set free and made whole. None of us can honestly say we have no needs, or that we don’t need God, that we are living in a victorious life always.

Now, our ability to receive the answers we need from God is so often blocked by our wrong believing about God’s love for us. Too often we see troubles as being punishment from God. At other times we think God doesn’t care about us and maybe He’s too busy to worry about little ol’ me.

If you could see the love God has for you and have a complete revelation of that love; you would receive answers from God, hear His voice, walk in trust and faith and rise to a wholeness that defines what a true believer is.

Let’s look at this key verse together:

1 John 3:1 – See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.(NIV)

1 John 1:3 – What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to.(MESS)

Imagine being in an orphanage and waiting to be chosen by new prospective parents!

WIIFM – If you open your heart to receive revelation from God and seek Him for an understanding of His real love for you, then you will be radically transformed. You will enter into wholeness and sonship as a Christian believer.

THIS MONTH WE ARE SHARING THE SUB-THEME, LOVE SEEKS

God is seeking out lost people who He can save, heal and set free. He loves you unconditionally and He is seeking you out to find you. Look at this very important verse with me…

Luke 19:10 Amplified Bible (AMP)

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

STORY

In 1989, an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened Armenia, killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes. Surprisingly, such tragedies often bring out the best in people. Let me show you the loving heart of a father.

In the midst of chaos and destruction, he rushed to his son’s school. But instead of a school, he found a shapeless heap of rubble. Imagine what went through his mind. In the case of this father, the sight of rubble and ruin made him spring into action. He ran to the back corner of the building where his son’s class used to be and began to dig. Why? What real hope did he have? What were the chances that his son could have survived such destruction? All he knew was that he had made a promise to always be there for his boy. It was this promise that animated his hands and motivated his heart.

As he began to dig, well-meaning parents tried to pull him out of the rubble saying: “It’s too late!” “They’re dead!” “You can’t help!” “Go home!” “There’s nothing you can do!” Then the fire chief tried to pull him off the rubble by saying, “Fires and explosions are happening everywhere. You’re in danger. Go home!” Finally, the police came and said, “It’s over. You’re endangering others. Go home. We’ll handle it!”

But this father continued to dig for eight … 12 … 24 … 36 hours. Then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back a boulder and heard his son’s voice. Immediately, he screamed, “ARMAND!” Back came the words, “Dad!? I told them! I told the other kids that if you were still alive, you’d save me! You promised me, you’d always be here for me! You did it, Dad!” (Taken from Max Lucado’s book, “He Still Moves Stones”)

Obviously God sees all and knows all right? So for Jesus to be seeking the lost is not that He doesn’t know where they are. The truth is He knows where you’re at and He just wants to attract your attention. To seek to break into your hard shell of unbelief, or hurt or disappointment and make Himself known to you. To seek out the person’s attention and willingness to let God in. Love Seeks. Love is going out of its way to find the one who is truly valuable. Love will never give up, love will never quit. Love will continue until the end to seek and save the one that is of great value. God so loved and dearly prized the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

Love seeks.

In this month of January, we will be holding a prayer and fasting time. It’s a time to seek God for His blessing and favour to be upon our lives and our church this year.

If we give him the best part of our year, the first fruits, then we are honouring Him, putting Him first. This prayer and fasting time is a season to seek God for His blessing and favour upon your life and your family and your church. It is also a time to pray for the lost broken hurting and lonely people in our community who need to meet Jesus. I am seeking God for a revelation about His love and also for the blessing and favour of God to be upon my life and upon this church.

Next week I will give you resources to assist you in seeking God. Also there will be special times of prayer and seeking God at the church building. Make sure you set some time aside to seek God in prayer and try some fasting.

The result of God’s people seeking Him in prayer and fasting will be the revelation we receive. Our lives will be changed and the changed lives of others who hear the good news from us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

WHAT NOW

Decide to engage in the process. Decide to come next week and receive resources for the fasting time. Stay linked into the facebook page and emails from the church to receive special resources. Please respond and share what God is showing you as you seek Him through that three week period. Prepare your heart to seek God and determine that this year you will find the love of God in a powerful way.

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JESUS – WHAT IS HE DOING NOW?

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

INTRODUCING JESUS – RISEN AND LIVING – DEC 22, 2013 AM Introducing Jesus

Have you met Jesus? Yes? – Do you really know Him? Is there a desire in your heart to meet Him if you haven’t yet, or to get to know Him more if you have? Why wouldn’t you want to meet the most influential person in all of Human history, (http://tinyurl.com/n6bn3xz) especially when you consider His public life spanned a mere three and a half years!

Can I introduce Him to you? If you have met Him, can I show you more of Him than you know at present? To know Jesus is to have a complete life change. Actually there’s no way to meet Jesus and not have a life impacting experience!

This month we have spoken about Jesus to introduce Him to you and deepen your understanding of who He really is.

Week 1 – Born for pain – Jesus’ plan from the beginning was to suffer and die for the whole of mankind. He was born to die.

Week 2 – A life lived for others – The incredible passion of Jesus to love, serve and give to others.

Week 3 – The other side of Jesus – His dedication to purpose, a steely eyed determination to go to the cross.

Week 4 – Risen and Living – This week we see what is Jesus doing now. What has been His activity since He ascended up into heaven? Do you know what Jesus is doing right now?

The resurrection of Jesus is one of the most well established events in history (see here http://tinyurl.com/n5kbad) having risen from the dead, of course Jesus is still alive and He is interacting with people’s lives all over the world. If you have religion – you have a dead founder such as Mohammed or Buddha and a set of rules to follow or learn. When you meet Jesus you begin a relationship with a living person. You begin a conversation with a person who is both fully God and fully man.

Think of the wonder of this reality. Before the moment of Jesus being conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary, He pre-existed in heaven from eternity. (By the way, humans do not pre-exist before birth, Humans begin their eternal life at conception and pass on into eternity at the death of our physical bodies.) He was in spirit form, infinite, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent. Then in one moment of time He was contracted to a span as the hymn writer says (http://tinyurl.com/krdwz6w ) and He became in the form of a human being.

Phil  2:6-7  Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [[b]possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not [c]think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped [d]or retained,

7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and [e]rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. (AMP)

Jesus had a body exactly like yours and mine. He had a body that felt pain, needed food, was subject to tiredness, every human emotion and function. That body of Jesus ascended into heaven after the resurrection. He is now seated on the right hand of the Father in heaven for eternity. Think about this – humanity has entered the Godhead! When we see Jesus at His second coming or if we pass before then, we will see, and meet and behold that same Jesus who ascended. He will still, and for eternity, have the nail scars in His hands and feet and the deep wound in His side.

Imagine the wonder and the gratitude of seeing those hands and feet. No wonder the angels fall before him and those who have gathered at His throne cast their crowns before Him.

Rev 4:9-10  And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (ESV)

So what is Jesus doing now that He has risen from the dead? Has He been in the Bahamas since then taking it easy, having accomplished all He purposed to do? Is there a holiday home in heaven where He relaxes until the time of His second coming? Let me fill you in on what He is doing now and every day until His coming again.  (You realise He’s coming back again, right?)

Sending the Holy Spirit

His very first task when He ascended was to send the Holy Spirit into the earth: John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. (NKJV) The work of the Holy Spirit is to help the church complete the call to take the gospel to the whole world and make disciples in every nation.  The work is not complete yet. Of the approximately 210 nations on earth only a few yet remain to be impacted by the gospel. Still there are many ethnic groups on earth who need to be reached with the gospel. Speaking of His second coming Jesus says, Mark 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

Build the church.

Jesus main focus through the Holy Spirit is to build the church. He said Matt 16:18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[a] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b]shall not prevail against it. Jesus is overseeing the building of a church that will reach the whole earth. He is at work through the work of the Holy Spirit to raise up leaders who will preach the gospel, plant churches and pray for the will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Make intercession for us.

Heb 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them. (AMP) Jesus who is seated in heaven Ephes 1:20 Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places], ever lives to make intercession for us, pleading our case before the Father. As our advocate or Lawyer He makes a case for our redemption and deliverance, declaring that the faith with which we appropriate our salvation is sufficient to obtain the promises and enter into His family. Our prayer come up to heaven Rev 5:8 And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] prostrated themselves before the Lamb. Each was holding a harp (lute or guitar), and they had golden bowls full of incense (fragrant spices and gums for burning), which are the prayers of God’s people (the saints).

So when you need an answer or some help from above, and you call on Jesus, He is ready to make intercession for you at the throne of the Father. You are never alone. He is with you always even until the end of the world. (Matt  28:20)

We serve a loving Saviour and one who is always active to be with you and strengthen you every day you live in Him. So don’t do life alone. Invite Jesus into your life. Pray this prayer right now…

“Dear Lord Jesus, please come into my life, I turn away from my sinful lifestyle and I turn to you. Forgive all my sins and set me free. I chose to follow you for the rest of my life. I believe that you died on the cross for me and I believe that you rose again from the dead. Thank you Jesus. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer for the first time and you want to walk with Jesus please contact me via the comment box below.

Blessings,

Ps Craig Anderson.

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THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 15, 2013| 1 Comment »

INTRODUCING JESUS – THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL – SUNDAY 15TH DEC 2013 AM Introducing Jesus

Choose someone you would like to meet. Who would you choose? In all of human history, if you could choose to meet anyone, who would it be? Many of us have met Jesus, and we feel we know Him. But how well do you know Him? Would you like to know Him better? Listen as I share about the other side of Jesus.

What was Jesus like?

What was it like to meet Him and know Him? Can we get an insight into the experience that the 12 disciples of Jesus had as they met and travelled with Jesus for three and half years? He was, and is, the greatest figure in human history, He and His followers have made a bigger impact than any other person in history. Especially when you consider that he only walked the stage of life publically for three and a half years.

There was the people-person Jesus who preached simple but powerful messages, healed countless people and gathered the little children in His arms to bless them. This approachable Jesus, who healed foreigners even when He said He was called to Israel primarily, raised children to life from the dead, and gave a son back to his mother from the dead; had another side to His persona.

Jesus was incredibly focussed.

He had a mindset to that was unrelentingly pointed to one great purpose. His death.

The story began before the earth was formed.

Rev 13:8 And all the inhabitants of the earth will fall down in adoration and pay him homage, everyone whose name has not been recorded in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain [in sacrifice][a]from the foundation of the world.

In the beginning before time; the conversation may have gone something like this… The father says to the Son, Let us make man in our own image, male and female shall we create them. And they shall have dominion and rule the earth that we have made. Our love for them shall be complete. It is a love that shall cost us. What price shall we be prepared to pay for them? They shall need redemption. They shall need restoration and these things shall come at a cost, but whatever is of great value, our offspring, shall be bought with a price; and the price shall be that of blood. Jesus accepted the call and the charge pre-empting the words of Isaiah centuries later when asked who shall go for them?

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Then that which was written before the beginning of time but recorded by John was established: John 3:16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten ([a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

The die was cast; the purpose set; the life of Jesus was destined for death and separation from the father for a time. He was now a man with a mission. And so He said:

Matt 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Luke 9:51 Now when the time was almost come for Jesus to be received up [to heaven], He steadfastly and determinedly set His face to go to Jerusalem.

John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Even when His well-meaning disciples were reticent to accept is impending death, He spoke strongly against their opposition:

Matt 16:21-23 21 From that time forth Jesus began [clearly] to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and the high priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised [k]from death.

22 Then Peter took Him aside [l]to speak to Him privately and began to reprove and [m]charge Him sharply, saying, God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to You!

23 But Jesus turned [n]away from Peter and said to him, Get behind Me, Satan! You are in My way [an offense and a hindrance and a snare to Me]; for you are [o]minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men.

Jesus single minded in His pursuit of His purpose was unassailable. He was a man born for purpose and nothing was going to dissuade Him from that purpose. Tell me if you can, what man is bent on death and the sacrifice of His life for others from the moment of His birth? Who in human history has determined to give His life for others as a long standing goal for their life? Can you think of one?

But this man, this God-man, who came from heaven was single minded and fixed in His purpose, so that the reason He came was clear and he remained unflinching to the end. His reason to live was that he may die, and not just die but die as a substitute, a ransom for many. There was the people-person side of Jesus but then there was this focussed, unflinching side of Jesus concerning His purpose. Every minute of every day He thought about why he came and He thought about what lay ahead of Him in Jerusalem at the last Passover.

Matt 16:21 21 From that time forth Jesus began [clearly] to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and the high priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised [a]from death.

Was He focussed? Yes. Was He intense? No, because even at His moment of death He gave a criminal on the cross beside Him the answer for eternal life. No power on earth or in heaven would be able to dissuade Him from the grand purpose of His life and that grand purpose was death.

What now?

Do you know Him?

And more than that what is the purpose of your life?

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LIVE FOR OTHERS

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

INTRODUCING JESUS – A LIFE LIVED FOR OTHERS – SUNDAY 8TH DECEMBER 2013 AMIntroducing Jesus

I know you know Him. You’ve read about Him. Almost everyone “knows” Him here in Australia. In fact 40% of Australians claim to be a Christian; although only 40% of those go to church regularly.  http://mccrindle.com.au/resources/Australian-Communities-Report_McCrindle-Research.pdf   and   http://www.ncls.org.au/default.aspx?sitemapid=2260

But do you really know Him? What is Jesus like? What would He say to you if you met Him today? How would He react to the world we now live in?

Really today’s world, although vastly different in terms of technology and how we spend our time and what knowledge is available, is actually just the same as the world in Jesus day when you consider the problems people face.

For example sickness, relationship breakdown, stress and anxiety, and poverty are all real problems today just like they were 2000 years ago. His answers and approach to your needs and your concerns is the same as His approach to people in every age.

So why would anyone want to know Jesus? – Wouldn’t you want to know the greatest figure in human history? If He rose from the dead as the bible says, He is still alive and can meet you and have an impact in your life today. Why be put off by the crowd. If others don’t want to know Him does that mean you have to follow suit?

My story. When I was invited to church (That’s where you meet Jesus, right?) in 1977 by my best friend at uni, I decided that I was curious to find out who this Jesus was and see what His claims were. I argued with myself (or maybe the devil) and said, “I’ve got an open mind, I can look and see what Jesus is doing and saying and make up my own mind.” At the time God was planning an encounter for me to meet Jesus, and I am so glad that happened!

So what is Jesus really like? – The New Testament tells of His birth to a virgin, growing up as a carpenter’s son, and living in Egypt for the first few years of His life. Stunning the religious leaders at age 13 with His knowledge and wisdom, He only surfaced as a public figure at age 30 for three and half short years, until his torturous death on a cross at 33. It would be difficult to find one individual in any sphere of life who had such a world-wide impact and long lasting impact after only three and a half years of public life.

In the New Testament there are recorded many of His sermons and sayings together with 25 particular healing miracles, eight miracles in nature, five reports of multitudes being healed and three people raised from the dead. His messages are the most impacting things recorded, and how He treated people is what we will focus on today.

Jesus lived a life focussed on others.

Read with me this passage: Luke 8:40-56 (ESV)

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,[e] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[f] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Jesus went among the people. You could touch Him. Today people who are famous or have megastar status seldom go among the crowds for fear of being accosted or injured. Royalty cautiously shake hands across a fence erected for crowd control. These people have fame, notoriety or entertainment value but Jesus topped all that by being able to heal absolutely anything on the spot. Can you imagine the crowd attraction? With celebrities today there’s a distance from the crowd but with Jesus He was in the midst of the crowd all the time. Jesus allowed this and moved among the people.

  1. Jesus was pressed on every side. The crowd pressure was enormous. Imagine the clamour to get healed! I saw what this was like in Ballarat when I was assisting a well know healing ministry person John Mellor to pray for people. JESUS LIVED FOR OTHERS
  2. Jesus made time for a needy person. This woman came to Jesus and she was essentially unclean according to the Jewish law, when a woman had an issue of blood she could not come out among people. JESUS LIVED FOR OTHERS.
  3. Jesus met Jairus, he was a member of the group that had so radically opposed Jesus because they did not like Him. Jesus showed mercy to him and raised his daughter from the dead. JESUS LIVED FOR OTHERS.

Jesus lived His whole life focussed on others. He made such a huge impact on this world, not just because He said really wise things, and not just because He healed people miraculously and raised them from the dead; but He was God and He had power to transform a life from sinful and broken to clean and righteous.

His miracles and lifestyle give evidence to his claims that He is God and He does have the power to transform a life. While His life is miraculous and amazing, it’s His death that we focus on because everything that you need is accomplished by His death. Jesus died for you. He was perfect and without sin and yet He took the punishment for sin that every one of us rightly deserve. For everything you and I have ever done wrong in our lives, we will give account. God knows everything, and sees everything. Because He is righteous, He must judge all sin; but the good news is Jesus choose to take the rap for you. That’s love! Your response? Knowing about Jesus is one thing but knowing Him is entirely different. You can read all about a famous person and know their facts and history but only when you have met them and become friends do you actually know them. You must know Jesus before you can see the reality of what He has done for you. You need an encounter. You need to meet Him. Jesus loves you. He lived for others to show His motive is love. But most importantly, He died for you.

What to do now. Jesus showed His great love for people all through His life and even more so by dying for them at the cross. He asked them for response, He said if you believe in me, you would have everlasting life. John 3:16.

If you’re already a Christian, then live this life like He did. Live it for others. Let his example of Jesus life be your pattern of living. What does that look like for you?

 

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