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BORN FOR PAIN

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 30, 2013| 1 Comment »

INTRODUCING JESUS – DECEMBER 2013, 1ST – BORN FOR PAIN

 

What were you born for?

Every mother holding her baby in her arms dreams for her child – destiny, purpose and greatness.

Baby-sleeping-in-mothers-arms

JESUS WAS BORN FOR PAIN

The very purpose of His birth, His coming was to be destined for pain.

Luke 2:17-19 (AMP) – The shepherds who heard the angels announce the birth of Jesus visited His parents Joseph and Mary.

17 And when they saw it, they made known what had been told them concerning this Child,

18 And all who heard it were astounded and marvelled at what the shepherds told them.

19 But Mary was keeping [h]within herself all these things ([i]sayings), weighing and pondering them in her heart.

However Isaiah records the purpose of His life like this…

The message bible puts the colour into the story…

Isaiah 53:2-6 (MESS)

2-6 The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost.
We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong,
on him, on him.

Jesus Himself said of His purpose…

John 12:27 (AMP)

27 Now My soul is troubled and distressed, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]? But it was for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it].

JESUS WAS BORN FOR PAIN

And on that day when Jesus was crucified on the cross, right there stood His mother, Mary. We cannot imagine the pain that pierced her heart that day. The agony of watching her son suffer an unimaginable torture of crucifixion. How much more the agony knowing His innocence and His glorious compassion for others. The monstrous injustice of His suffering would have ripped her heart out in that very hour.

Jesus had a heavenly father too.

At that moment His heavenly father turned His back on His only begotten son. And we read

Mark 15:33-34 (AMP)

33 And when the sixth hour (about midday) had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour (about three o’clock).

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?—which means, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me [[a]deserting Me and leaving Me helpless and abandoned]?

All of this was His destiny – Jesus, born for pain so that He could bring many sons home to glory.

Heb 2:10 (AMP)

10 For it was an act worthy [of God] and fitting [to the divine nature] that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect [should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest] through suffering.

WHY?

We had become sons of shame.

Gal 5:19-21(AMP)

19 Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,

20 Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),

21 Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

What became of us? We were born for destiny purpose and greatness, yet sin created a detour for our path and we ended up broken, wounded and filled withal manner of wrong thoughts and actions.

Jesus was born for pain.

He was born for this one great purpose.

Matt 20:28 (AMP)

28 Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [the price paid to set them free].

He died to pay the price of our redemption. To buy us back form the porn broker; to redeem us from an eternity of separation from our rightful owner.

Jesus eternal in the heavens before time began came to earth, born of a virgin and became a man. He was and is fully God and at the same time fully man. The hymn writer Charles Wesley wrote of this when he wrote…

Let earth and Heaven combine,
Angels and men agree,
To praise in songs divine
The incarnate Deity,
Our God contracted to a span,
Incomprehensibly made Man.

He laid His glory by,
He wrapped Him in our clay;
Unmarked by human eye,
The latent Godhead lay;
Infant of days He here became,
And bore the mild Immanuel’s Name.

JESUS, BORN FOR PAIN – He died for you. To lift you out of sickness, corruption and death, to give you new life; because you were…

BORN FOR MORE!

kid and plane no inc

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When the torment in your mind becomes too much…

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »

JESUS HEALS THE BROKEN HEARTED – SUNDAY 24TH NOVEMBER 2013,  10AM

Bible reading – Mark 5:1-20 – Amplified Bible.tag - born for more - portrait - pos_renamed_26541

1 They came to the other side of the sea to the region of the Gerasenes.

2 And as soon as He got out of the boat, there met Him out of the tombs a man [under the power] of an unclean spirit.

3 This man [a]continually lived among the tombs, and no one could subdue him any more, even with a chain;

4 For he had been bound often with shackles for the feet and [b]handcuffs, but the handcuffs of [light] chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he rubbed and ground together and broke in pieces; and no one had strength enough to restrain or tame him.

5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always [c]shrieking and screaming and [d]beating and bruising and [e]cutting himself with stones.

6 And when from a distance he saw Jesus, he ran and fell on his knees before Him in homage,

7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? [What is there in common between us?] I [f]solemnly implore you by God, do not begin to torment me!

8 For Jesus was commanding, Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!

9 And He asked him, What is your name? He replied, My name is Legion, for we are many.

10 And he kept begging Him urgently not to send them [himself and the other demons] away out of that region.

11 Now a great herd of hogs was grazing there on the hillside.

12 And the demons begged Him, saying, Send us to the hogs, that we may go into them!

13 So He gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out [of the man] and entered into the hogs; and the herd, numbering about 2,000, rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and were drowned in the sea.

14 The hog feeders ran away, and told [it] in the town and in the country. And [the people] came to see what it was that had taken place.

15 And they came to Jesus and looked intently and searchingly at the man who had been a demoniac, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, [the same man] who had had the legion [of demons]; and they were [g]seized with alarm and struck with fear.

16 And those who had seen it related in full what had happened to the man possessed by demons and to the hogs.

17 And they began to beg [Jesus] to leave their neighbourhood.

18 And when He had stepped into the boat, the man who had been controlled by the unclean spirits kept begging Him that he might be with Him.

19 But Jesus refused to permit him, but said to him, Go home to your own [family and relatives and friends] and bring back word to them of how much the Lord has done for you, and [how He has] had sympathy for you and mercy on you.

20 And he departed and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten cities] how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were astonished and marvelled.

 

Here is a man whose life has been taken from him. He’s existing but not really living. So often people all around us experience the traumatic effects of tragedy, pain and loss every day. They exist, but they don’t really live.

This man lived in the tombs. He was forced out of his normal home by his abhorrent behaviour. We can only imagine the events that led up to his rejection by the community. His behaviour became a liability for the community – why? Perhaps he suffered the agony of loss, his wife or children may have died from illness or accident. Perhaps his business went belly up and he has been tormented by the sense of failure and his shame at not being a provider for his family. Could his failures have been compounded by a condemning and critical father who goaded him all his life saying, “You’re a failure boy, you’ll never amount to anything.”

For some the worst nightmares can be fought through and they piece life back together again; but for so many others their mind is continuously filled with torment because of rejection, shame, anger, hatred, guilt, or depression. The thoughts just never let up, and like this poor wretched soul you find yourself alone, outcast or simply choosing to avoid people – it’s easier that way.

Today I’ve come to tell you Jesus is the answer! Jesus gives Hope! Today I will show you the way out of pain and brokenness. If life has knocked you around, I can help you today. If you’re a pretty whole person, listen up I want to empower you to help others around you to find what the world can never offer. PEACE.

He cut himself with stones. Today some people cut themselves. It’ a sign that they hate themselves. Self-hatred comes from a wrong picture on the inside of who you really are. Like the beautiful young girl who was in our church many years ago who looked in the mirror at herself and screamed, I hate you, you are so ugly” You see her dad wasn’t there for her and never gave her the indispensable value she was loved and precious for who she was.

Jesus heals the broken hearted. He can and will heal you today. He will touch your life and you can begin the journey to wholeness. Jesus brings hope. In an era when more people than ever in history are seeking out a psychologist or counsellor; where statistics show one in four will suffer depression in their lifetime; you need to know Jesus is the answer. For all our medical advancement, our vastly greater understanding of how the human brain works, more people than ever are suffering debilitating symptoms of stress, depression and anxiety.

Listen to some of the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and tell me if you think this man suffered with this increasingly common complaint?

  1. Suicidal thoughts and feelings.
  2. Feeling alienated and alone.
  3. Anger and irritability.
  4. Depression and hopelessness.
  5. Feeling detached from others and emotionally numb.
  6. Loss of interest in life in general.

(from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/post_traumatic_stress_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm)

Maybe you thought this man was just filled with demon spirits, a strange and exotic phenomenon that takes place in some faraway places. No, what we have come to understand is the spirit world is real and there are evil spirits that torment and plague people even right here in our own community. We don’t pay a lot of attention to demons in Australia but they are active and afflict people mostly in their minds with uncontrollable thoughts. Mostly in Australia we medicate, Jesus brought release and healing. Jesus heals the broken hearted. For example a young man came to John Mellor meeting last weekend who had been diagnosed with Schizophrenia and his prognosis was to be kept permanently in a lock down ward. Now after prayer he is living at home and living a happy and peaceful life.

You see there is a spirit realm and there is an enemy. He works on the mind, can also afflict the body and opposes you spiritually to try and keep you from connecting with Jesus.

Jesus offers peace and life. This what the bible says about your mind…

Luke 8:35

And [people] went out to see what had occurred, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right (sound) mind; and they were seized with alarm and fear.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 

Jesus is the answer. He alone can bring hope and freedom. Medication can cover the symptoms but Jesus sets you free.

No matter how tormented you are, like this man you can run to Jesus. These demonic powers were not able to stop him coming to the one who has the answer. Though he was filled with these torturing spirits, he saw Jesus and came running towards Him and fell at His feet and worshipped.

This is the beginning of your answer – run to Jesus. You see Jesus knew about this man. He went seeking him out, He deliberately put ashore at this very place where this madman had his abode among the tombs.

Jesus knows your pain, He knows your heartache and He has come to seek and to save those who are lost. Here is your answer – Run to Jesus, and like this man desire to stay with Jesus. Jesus is not a pill you take to relieve symptoms and you go back to your normal life. Jesus has a new life for you. Your old life was killing you. It was filled with wrong believing, wrong values and wrong behaviour. It was how you lived and what you believed that put you in the mess you are in now. It’s time to come to Jesus and let Him redeem you and show you His abundant life of righteousness peace and joy.

You might be strong and whole this morning, but this message is still for you. WE need to go out and boldly proclaim that Jesus is the only answer. He is the only one that heals the broken hearted. Tamazepam doesn’t heal a broken heart, a bottle of scotch a day doesn’t heal a broken heart, only Jesus can do it! Look at this man’s end state… 15 And they came to Jesus and looked intently and searchingly at the man who had been a demoniac, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, [the same man] who had had the legion [of demons]; and they were [g]seized with alarm and struck with fear.

Will you run to Jesus today?  Will you surrender your heart and mind to Jesus? Find a strong and Godly church that will lay hands on you and pray for you. Find a group of passionate Christians who will love you and pray for the power of God to touch your life. Find a church that has a reputation in your community for helping the broken and hurting people.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.

1. Jesus dealt with demon spirits all the time. Why don’t we focus on their activity in our day and age?

2. Discuss how the thought life of an individual can be interrupted by the influence of demonic spirits. (2 Cor 10:5)

3.  Why do you think that stress depression and anxiety are so much more prevalent in our time than they were in past times?

4. This man’s turnaround was fast, dramatic and complete. Can Jesus do that today?

5. Is there also a steady healing process for many as they journey towards wholeness with Jesus?

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GIVING OPENS DOORS

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

SPRING BREAKTHROUGH – INFINITY #2AM – 13 OCT 13Infinity 1

 GIVING OPENS DOORS

 I am going to share with you today one of the most amazing stories of world changing events in the entirety of human history. This is a change that came about because of one man’s generosity. We read about this story in Acts 10:1-4.

Act 10:1  At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort,

Act 10:2  a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

Act 10:3  About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”

Act 10:4  And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. (ESV)

 Here’s the story.

The gospel has only ever been preached to the Jewish people until this time. However Jesus commanded His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations. It sounds simple to us, but to the Jewish mind this was unpalatable. Gentiles were to be avoided. As Peter says in this story; Jews are not supposed to even eat with Gentiles! This new directive from God required a new mindset, a whole change in the way they saw the world! So God had to get the ball rolling. God looked for a Gentile who was open and desiring God – He found Cornelius.

 Cornelius’ CV reads like this:

A military leader, A devout man – Godly. He feared God, he gave generously to the poor. He prayed constantly.

Now all these good things were commendable, and certainly attracted God’s attention, but, Cornelius was not saved and could not be saved until he had believed the gospel; and for that to happen, he needed to hear a preacher of the gospel, so God sent Peter.

 It’s exactly the same today. It doesn’t matter how good a person may be, how devout, how good and how prayerful they are; a person can only be saved when they believe the gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ.

 Step 1 – God sends an angel to Cornelius.

The angel says to Cornelius, “Go find a man called Simon Peter. The angel explains why God has chosen to speak to Cornelius through this angel.

Act 10:4  And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

Without realising it Cornelius has made a way to constantly remind God of his needs. This word “memorial” means a fixture in the mind, to bear in mind, to recollect, to be mindful of. Would you like to have God mindful of your needs?

 You see Cornelius’s gifts and offerings caused God to be constantly reminded of Cornelius’s prayers. Prayer mixed with giving strengthens and prolongs the effect of prayer. Our prayers and offerings when mixed together create a greater impact than just prayers or giving on their own. Think of the example of cement and water mixed. Separately they have little strength, but place them together and they have enormous strength.

 Step 2 – God sends a vision to Peter. Three times God shows Peter a vision of all kinds of different animals and asks Peter to rise, kill and eat. Because some of these animals were “unclean” to a Jewish person, Peter at first refused to obey God. It was hard for Peter because he honoured God’s word but now God was trying to shake up Peter’s mindset. These animals remained unclean to Jews, but Gentiles were not to be viewed as unclean.

Step 3 – The Holy Spirit speaks to Peter. The Holy Spirit says three men are seeking you, go with them. Peter ends up with Cornelius and all his relatives and friends. He preaches the gospel to them and they all receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues showing Peter that God has certainly accepted their faith and saved them and filled them just He did with the disciples on the day of Pentecost.

 This is the first time in history that God’s plan of salvation has been offered to the Gentiles. This opens the door for the gospel to go to all nations. God had to break some mindsets to move His master plan forward and He did it through the generosity of a man who desired God and prayed. The impact is infinite! Now today Gentiles from all over the world are hearing the gospel and receiving Christ until billions of people will know the salvation given through Jesus Christ.

 What sort of mindsets need to be broken off our lives to release God’s master plan in this city?

 Will generosity on our part create a remembrance before God so that He hears our prayers and moves mightily to continually impact the generations to come?

 Giving opens so many doors in your future and the future of others.

 Your giving this month through Kingdom Advance offering mixed with prayer will create a memorial before God, keeping Him in remembrance of your need.

 This quarter we are encouraging everyone to seek God for a Spring Breakthrough.

September, October and November are our months to break out of every limiting mindset and habit. This is our time to call on God and believe for answers to prayer, miracles, breakthrough and personal liberation in our walk with God.

 What have you done so far to enter into a change in your world? Have you been praying differently? Have you been fasting? Have you been reading His word and seeking for answers? Have you challenged God to change you? Have you asked for His mercy to set you free, renew your first love and come into something fresh in God?

 If none of those things interest you, today will you give your life to Jesus? As Tim preached last Sunday morning our motivation for Spring Breakthrough is because we need more of Jesus!  

Let me give you a huge key to personal breakthrough. Choose to give to God an offering that is an evidence of your commitment to change. At Kingdom Advance Dinner on November 2nd make a gift or a pledge that will keep on making a difference to infinity.

As we do every year, all pledges from last year not completed by 31 October are forgiven. Start afresh and plan to give for this coming year.

 This is the Vision for which we are giving to make an infinite impact.

  1. Youth and Young Adults Ministry – Part time wage – $20,000
  2. Destiny Rescue – Rescuing kids from sexual slavery – $10,000
  3. Local Outreach – Community Kitchen, Family Violence initiatives. – $10,000
  4. Facility Upgrade – New equipment for sound and video image production – $20,000

 Now is the time to pray and seek God for His leading. Plan to attend the Infinity Dinner on Saturday night 2nd November with Guest speaker Geoff Woodward from MetroChurch in Perth.

Here are the table captains from whom you can get tickets. Tickets are free and anyone can be invited, however it is for the purposes of fundraising not just to have a free dinner.

Table Captains:

  1. Craig Anderson
  2. John Matthews
  3. Dan & Meg Power
  4. Bob & Rita Ireland
  5. Ross and Kim Parker
  6. Puna & Natasha Ngarua
  7. Rhys & Mira Anderson
  8. Alex Fabiani & Yas Barber
  9. Santo and Remi Pandolfo
  10. Chris & Alicia Duncan

 Please see one of these people for a ticket today and plan to attend the dinner on Saturday night 2nd November. This will be your breakthrough night!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Try to imagine how hard it was for the Jewish preachers to consider going to the Gentiles with a word of mercy and forgiveness – discuss.

2. What kind of mindsets might we have that are actually stopping the work of God through our lives?

3. Discuss how generosity might change our hearts and open us up for more of an encounter with God.

4. Discuss the idea of a memorial Offering that cause God to remember our prayer requests.

5. How much do you think that Cornelius realised how significant his conversion was for the rest of the Gentile world? Similarly when we give we may not realise the impact our giving with have long term.

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PICK A FIGHT WITH A PROBLEM

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 21, 2013| 1 Comment »

SPRING BREAKTHROUGH #4AM – PICK A FIGHT WITH A PROBLEM!1 sam 14

Your world is about to change – but only if you let God get involved.

I want to put you into a certain frame of mind to get you ready for the message this morning. I want you to picture church people a little differently today. I want you to see a picture as I paint it for you, that church people here today are something like this:

It’s late at night; and there’s nothing on TV, you are as bored as anything and now like a pack of restless teenagers you are wandering around town looking for trouble. There’s a kind of crowd confidence that overcomes normal inhibitions, anything can happen. You will follow a leader if that person shows any sort of confidence. You might end up wet or covered in dirt or miles from home, but one thing’s for sure you will have a story to tell for the next few years. And what’s more it’s been a heck of a lot more interesting than staying home and doing nothing.

Think like a bored teenager for the next hour. Think about how much you want to experience life and energy and change. Think about how much you have let caution, shyness, fear and playing it safe, keep you limited for the last few years. When was the last time you were outrageous? When was the last time you sang Karaoke? When was the last time you did something for the first time? – Hold that thought. Hold that mindset.

IT’S TIME TO GO LOOKING FOR A BREAKTHROUGH!

SO PICK A FIGHT WITH A PROBLEM

Read 1 Sam 14:1-16, (MESS)

1Sa 14:1  Later that day, Jonathan, Saul’s son, said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to the Philistine garrison patrol on the other side of the pass.” But he didn’t tell his father.

1Sa 14:2  Meanwhile, Saul was taking it easy under the pomegranate tree at the threshing floor on the edge of town at Geba (Gibeah). There were about six hundred men with him.

1Sa 14:3  Ahijah, wearing the priestly Ephod, was also there. (Ahijah was the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli the priest of GOD at Shiloh.) No one there knew that Jonathan had gone off.

1Sa 14:4  The pass that Jonathan was planning to cross over to the Philistine garrison was flanked on either side by sharp rock outcroppings, cliffs named Bozez and Seneh.

1Sa 14:5  The cliff to the north faced Micmash; the cliff to the south faced Geba (Gibeah).

1Sa 14:6  Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on now, let’s go across to these uncircumcised pagans. Maybe GOD will work for us. There’s no rule that says God can only deliver by using a big army. No one can stop GOD from saving when he sets his mind to it.”

1Sa 14:7  His armor bearer said, “Go ahead. Do what you think best. I’m with you all the way.”

1Sa 14:8  Jonathan said, “Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll cross over the pass and let the men see we’re there.

1Sa 14:9  If they say, ‘Halt! Don’t move until we check you out,’ we’ll stay put and not go up.

1Sa 14:10  But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ we’ll go right up–and we’ll know GOD has given them to us. That will be our sign.”

1Sa 14:11  So they did it, the two of them. They stepped into the open where they could be seen by the Philistine garrison. The Philistines shouted out, “Look at that! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!”

1Sa 14:12  Then they yelled down to Jonathan and his armor bearer, “Come on up here! We’ve got a thing or two to show you!”

1Sa 14:13  Jonathan shouted to his armor bearer, “Up! Follow me! GOD has turned them over to Israel!” Jonathan scrambled up on all fours, his armor bearer right on his heels. When the Philistines came running up to them, he knocked them flat, his armor bearer right behind finishing them off, bashing their heads in with stones.

1Sa 14:14  In this first bloody encounter, Jonathan and his armor bearer killed about twenty men.

1Sa 14:15  That set off a terrific upheaval in both camp and field, the soldiers in the garrison and the raiding squad badly shaken up, the ground itself shuddering–panic like you’ve never seen before!

1Sa 14:16  Saul’s sentries posted back at Geba (Gibeah) in Benjamin saw the confusion and turmoil raging in the camp.

1Sa 14:20  Saul immediately called his army together and they went straight to the battle. When they got there they found total confusion–Philistines swinging their swords wildly, killing each other.

1Sa 14:21  Hebrews who had earlier defected to the Philistine camp came back. They now wanted to be with Israel under Saul and Jonathan.

1Sa 14:22  Not only that, but when all the Israelites who had been hiding out in the backwoods of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were running for their lives, they came out and joined the chase.

1Sa 14:23  GOD saved Israel! What a day! The fighting moved on to Beth Aven. The whole army was behind Saul now–ten thousand strong!–with the fighting scattering into all the towns throughout the hills of Ephraim.

BACKGROUND

Here’s the background to the story.

King Saul had been king for a while and not doing a very good job at all. He disobeys God and offers animals as sacrifice when he should waited for the prophet Samuel. Jonathan his son is a bit of a hothead, but he wants to make some progress. Saul started off with three companies of soldiers but most of them left him in fear and he has now only 600 left and they don’t have spears or swords. Sounds like a crack fighting force right?

THE STORY

Now Jonathan thinks, “I’ve gotta do something!” He decides to pick a fight with the Philistines. Something has got to change! Somebody has got to move out and do something, and that person may as well be me!

He takes his armour bearer with him – just two of them. They go right up to a garrison of the enemy and this is their unique strategy: Let the enemy dictate the terms of the battle – that way we know God is in it!!

Think like a teenager now: He’s off on his own, he hasn’t consulted the king, his father, but look at this boldness, this seemingly misplaced confidence! There’s initiative, there’s a bit of craziness, there’s thinking outside the box; but above all there’s an expectation on God!! Jonathan says God can save by many or by few (Vs 6) This is the key to his outrageous adventure.

He decided – GO PICK A FIGHT WITH A PROBLEM – but believes God is with him no matter what!

What have you done different this month? What have you changed or applied or given up to create momentum in your situation? Have you given God something to work with to give you your Spring Breakthrough? If nothing changes then nothing will change.

Are you doers of the word or are you just hearers only? Will we be a powerhouse church that is so passionate about God’s word that we listen to the word preached and we apply it straight away? Are we built on Rock or sand?

Here’s your check point….

In August our theme was Living Word. – How much change took place in your life so far to build the word of God in because of those messages?

Don’t fool yourself that you can just come along to church every week and listen to messages as though they were just interesting information and not change and expect to be an effective Christian. God is looking for His people to be salt and light, that’s influence. Standing out not blending in.

We need a Spring breakthrough, the church needs a Spring Breakthrough and Melbourne needs a Spring Breakthrough! We probably judge ourselves too kindly. It’s just too easy for all of us to say, “I’m a good Christian!” But we measure things like being honest, loving others and being good. When God is doing the measuring He looks from heaven and says,

Eze 9:4  “Walk through the city of Jerusalem and mark the forehead of anyone who is truly upset and sad about the disgusting things that are being done here.” (CEV)

And this: Mat 28:19  Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

If we want to reach our city of Whittlesea for God and we keep going at the rate we are going it will never happen! The church here and elsewhere looks a lot like Saul and his army, not making any headway and not having any weapons of substance. But it can all change with one bold move from a person of faith.

THIS IS WHAT ISRAEL WAS LIKE BEFORE JONATHAN’S MISSION

1Sa 13:15  At that, Samuel got up and left Gilgal. What army there was left followed Saul into battle. They went into the hills from Gilgal toward Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul looked over and assessed the soldiers still with him–a mere six hundred!

1Sa 13:22  So when the battle of Micmash was joined, there wasn’t a sword or spear to be found anywhere in Israel–except for Saul and his son Jonathan; they were both well-armed.

WE SAW WHAT JONATHAN ACHIEVED WITH HIS CRAZY MISSION INTO ENEMYTERRITORY.

THIS WAS THE OUTCOME –

1Sa 14:23  GOD saved Israel! What a day! The fighting moved on to Beth Aven. The whole army was behind Saul now–ten thousand strong!–with the fighting scattering into all the towns throughout the hills of Ephraim.

ITS TIME FOR YOUR SPRING BREAKTHROUGH – IT’S TIME FOR YOUR BOLD MOVE.

Come on you reckless teenagers, bored with hum drum life. What will your move be?

For Carole  – it was to obey the voice in her heart that said share your faith with your father again even though he’s been antagonistic for years.

For Andrew  – the bold move was to continue to believe God for a job long past the due season for answers.

What about you?

What’s your bold move to create an opportunity for God? What does it look like? Ask the Holy Spirit. Step out and obey God. Pray and seek Him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What inspires you about Jonathan in this story?

2. Describe how he talks about faith in this story.

3. How are you going with being a doer of the word and not just a hearer only?

4. If our church has a vision to impact the local area, then what kind of activity is required from the members?

5. What will your bold move be?

 

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BE HONEST – THE NEW NORMAL SUCKS

Posted in Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 14, 2013| Leave a Comment »

SPRING BREAKTHROUGH #3AM  –   WHY SIT HERE UNTIL WE DIE?spring breakthrough 2

In my back yard I have a paved area. Sometimes weeds grow in between the paving stones. When I looked at my paving this week it seemed as though they grew up overnight, but in reality I didn’t notice them growing over the last few weeks. Isn’t it true that sometimes undesirable things creep ever so slowly up around us and it’s not until something jolts us that we realise that things have changed and we must take action to remedy the situation?

Let’s take a look at this interesting story in the Old Testament.

READ 2 Kings 6:24-25 & 7:3-9

2Ki 6:24  Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria.

2Ki 6:25  And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.

 

2Ki 7:3  Now there were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die?

2Ki 7:4  If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die.”

2Ki 7:5  So they arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians. But when they came to the edge of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no one there.

2Ki 7:6  For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us.”

2Ki 7:7  So they fled away in the twilight and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, leaving the camp as it was, and fled for their lives.

2Ki 7:8  And when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent and ate and drank, and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and went and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent and carried off things from it and went and hid them.

2Ki 7:9  Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king’s household.” (ESV)

HERE’S THE BACKGROUND

The King of Syria besieges Samaria resulting in famine.

A donkey’s head sells for 80 shekels of silver and Dove’s dung (Could be translated a bowl of greens) for 5 shekels of silver.

Each day got worse as the famine continued.

At first people looked out and saw the enemy surrounding them, and wondered what would happen. Gradually things began to change. Prices started going up. Pressure started to mount. People began to get short with one another. Finally they were fighting over tiny amounts of food.

People got used to having less. At times over the next few moths life took on a form of normality – This is how it is now. The new normal.

IS THIS HOW IT IS FOR YOU IN YOUR LIFE NOW?

Have you grown used to not having all that God has promised to you? Do you live in a place of lack that you have come to call normal? What’s your situation? Do you have sickness that won’t go away? Financial Constrictions that you have put up with now for too long – That’s just the way it is…

What about those broken relationships that you’ve tried to fix over and over all to no avail. What about reaching that loved one with the gospel, you know, the one you have shared with over and over again.

Look outside the walls, the enemy is still waiting there.

When I look at our church – I see we need a Spring Breakthrough. The vision is clear, it’s 500 in 5 years. That’s the breakthrough. To accomplish that we need to see more people coming, more visitors, more people being saved, more life change, more finance pouring in. The enemy wants to besiege you and this church.

He wants to stop the supplies getting in or out. We can get used to seeing what we see now and it becomes the new normal. But God has so much more for us.

Like the 4 lepers, we must take action. The 4 lepers were 4 people robbed of life. Living in less than what God had for them.

At least they were at the city gate. They could see God’s people coming and going. And they can see the enemy. They had awareness and they had perspective. These were possibly the 4 most unlikely men to deliver the city from the enemy.

They make a great statement: Why should we sit here until we die?

Why should we just sit here in the midst of a problem and do nothing. If we sit here we die, if we go inside the city we die (of starvation), if we go down to the enemy camp then they may give us food or if they kill us we will only die.

Look at this wisdom in the 4 leprous men.

  1. They realised the gravity of the situation
  2. They decided to do something to change
  3. They faced their fears and took action.
  4. God took over and did the rest.

Here’s a great example of that this week – let me read out this testimony from Carol one of our members who lives in Flowerdale:

“I had to ring my Dad as he’s going in to hospital today and so many times he is not interested in God or religion – it’s for those who need it or he tells me some jokes about Jesus or religion that are downright offensive and not really funny at all. So I was reluctant to bring it up again having been met with so many knock backs and “no” answers but something kept pressing on me… The conversation went like this.

After an hour of talking and feeling that pressing need to ask but not wanting to hear a negative “So before I say goodbye Dad, have you thought about giving your heart to Jesus” – “Yes”
I shook the phone and tapped it to make sure it was receiving the signal right. “Would you like to give your heart to Jesus now?” – “Yes”
So he did hear me! And that’s 2 yes’s.
“I have this thing to read out to you and you repeat it after me word for word and you give yourself to Jesus” – “Yes”.
That was 3 yes’s and what’s more, when I had been tidying up on Saturday, I found the card, left over from John Mellor’s visit, with the words to give your heart to Jesus on it and put it over our Bible so I knew where to find it. God knew that I would need it.
Dad repeated the words after me and gave his heart to Jesus right there and then. Wow, what a breakthrough and I wasn’t even thinking of Dad when we were praying. And what’s more, If I hadn’t of asked him if he wanted to give his heart to Jesus, we would have just said our goodbyes and missed the opportunity but as I say, I kept feeling pressed to ask that whole one hour conversation and wanted to put it off but kept being pressed.”

Spring Breakthrough is about you breaking through personally, and it’s about the church breaking through too. Do you have an appetite for change?

Why sit here till we die?

Have you put up with the new normal? The enemy wants to close you down, and shut down the church vision too. We are at the gate, it’s the place of perspective, we see what’s going on, what will you do to bring change?

Will you face your fears and take action. Here’s what I’m doing…

I’m fasting 2 or 3 days every week in spring. I’m finding new times to pray and seek God, I’m reassessing all that I do to chuck out activity that is not producing; I’m reaching out to people and inviting more than ever.

What will you do to create change and give God something to work with?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What three things have you decided that you want to believe God to do for you this Spring?
  2. What changes will you make to your normal routine to give God something to work with?
  3. What price would you pay for change? For example, fasting? Give up some time wasting activity? Leave unhealthy relationships that pull you down?
  4. Write down your three goals. Read them every morning and night. Now find a picture that illustrates them if possible. And look at them every morning and night.
  5. How will you hold yourself accountable for change?

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YOU NEED A GOD ENCOUNTER!

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

SPRING BREAKTHROUGH #2PM Spring Breakthrough

You can have religion….   OR     You can have a God Encounter.

Jesus reacted strongly against religious people.

–         you know, the people who put on a good show.  (God show)

The message bible puts it so well …

Mat 3:7  When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference?

Mat 3:8  It’s your life that must change, not your skin!

Mat 3:9  And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen.

Mat 3:10  What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.

Or what about this one….

Mat 6:5  “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

It gets better, look at this….

Mat 15:7  Frauds! Isaiah’s prophecy of you hit the bull’s-eye:

Mat 15:8  These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn’t in it.

Mat 15:9  They act like they’re worshiping me, but they don’t mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy.” (MESS)

Jacob the grandson of Abraham in the book of Genesis had a God Encounter.

Gen 32:24  And Jacob was left alone, and a Man wrestled with him until daybreak.

Gen 32:25  And when [the Man] saw that He did not prevail against [Jacob], He touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob’s thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with Him.

Gen 32:26  Then He said, Let Me go, for day is breaking. But [Jacob] said, I will not let You go unless You declare a blessing upon me.

Gen 32:27  [The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]!

Gen 32:28  And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. [Hos. 12:3-4.]

Gen 32:29  Then Jacob asked Him, Tell me, I pray You, what [in contrast] is Your name? But He said, Why is it that you ask My name? And [the Angel of God declared] a blessing on [Jacob] there.

Gen 32:30  And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel [the face of God], saying, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is spared and not snatched away.

Gen 32:31  And as he passed Penuel [Peniel], the sun rose upon him, and he was limping because of his thigh. (AMP)

HERE IS THE  STORY

Jacob had cheated his brother out of his father’s inheritance. After being away in another country for a long time Jacob was forced to come back to his home town; and that meant facing his brother. Jacob knew his brother would be very angry to see him. Faced by that fear he took off to be alone.

The true test of a man’s soul is when he is alone with God.

He wrestled with God, this is about prayer. It’s the anguish of calling on God in time of great stress and asking for His help, because no one on earth can help you.

Jacob had purpose – he wanted to find assurance of safety for all that he had; wives, children and possessions.

He had determination – I will not let you go till you bless me.

He had an Encounter – a realisation of who he really was, and God changed him (his name).

He walked differently from then on – everyone could see on the outside what had happened on the inside due to that limp.

Every person needs a God Encounter. – That’s what SPRING BREAKTHROUGH is all about.

In a God Encounter – God changes you.

In being religious, you’re putting on a show for others, but on the inside you’re no different.

Mat 23:27  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything impure.

Mat 23:28  Just so, you also outwardly seem to people to be just and upright but inside you are full of pretence and lawlessness and iniquity. [Ps. 5:9.] (AMP)

Some Politicians think they can put on a good show. They show 10/10 for rhetoric, but 0/10 for character. In the end character shows through – that’s authentic.

What I read about Gen Y and younger is that they are seeking real, authentic leaders and churches.

SO WHAT’S THE DEAL ABOUT WANTING TO SEE AND HAVE THE AUTHENTIC AND BEING A FAKE YOURSELF?

You need a God Encounter to change you. You see – God knows who you really are on the inside. Jesus died to bring you forgiveness and to break the power of sin that messes you up on the inside.

What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]!

Jacob sought God. Fear drove him to find an answer because of the future that lay before him. The fear of confronting his failure took him to desperation and desperation is the door to a God Encounter. See you there!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How much do you personally feel you need a God Encounter in your life?
  2. Can a person have more than one God Encounter in their life?
  3. Where would you go and how would you seek God in this God Encounter?
  4. Ask yourself privately, “What is it that you need God to change in you?”
  5. When will you make the quality decision to seek God for an Encounter?

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FATHERS DAY – FOR BAD DADS

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

HONOUR – FATHERS DAY 2013FATHERS DAY

Anybody want to live a long life?

Well there’s a promise God has made to you that if you do one thing, you will live a long life. Here it is:

Eph 6:2  Honor (esteem and value as precious) your father and your mother–this is the first commandment with a promise–[Exod. 20:12.]

Exo_20:12  Regard (treat with honor, due obedience, and courtesy) your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God gives you.

When you honour your Father and Mother you open up God’s authority to bless you.

The principle of Honour in the bible is very important. In each place where honour was missing there is a corresponding lack of God’s favour and provision.

For example, When Jesus visited His own home town we read.

Mar 6:1  JESUS WENT away from there and came to His [own] country and hometown [Nazareth], and His disciples followed [with] Him.

Mar 6:2  And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue; and many who listened to Him were utterly astonished, saying, Where did this Man acquire all this? What is the wisdom [the broad and full intelligence which has been] given to Him? What mighty works and exhibitions of power are wrought by His hands!

Mar 6:3  Is not this the Carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here among us? And they took offense at Him and were hurt [that is, they disapproved of Him, and it hindered them from acknowledging His authority] and they were caused to stumble and fall.

Mar 6:4  But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor (deference, reverence) except in his [own] country and among [his] relatives and in his [own] house.

Mar 6:5  And He was not able to do even one work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people [and] cured them.

Mar 6:6  And He marvelled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him). And He went about among the surrounding villages and continued teaching. (amp)

Familiarity is the first step away from honour. Then comes contempt, then judgement then dishonour. Where there is no honour there is no divinely established authority for blessing and favour. God says a lot about Honour in the word.

Exo_20:12  Regard (treat with honor, due obedience, and courtesy) your father and mother, that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God gives you.

Psa 105:15  Saying, Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm. [I Chron. 16:8-22.]

Rom 13:7  Render to all men their dues. [Pay] taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, and honor to whom honor is due. (AMP)

The Lord extends the principle of honor found in the Ten Commandments to other God-created relationships. In the name of the Lord, we are commanded to honor the king (I Peter 2:17), employers (I Timothy 6:1), shepherds (I Timothy 5:17), the elderly (Leviticus 19:32), and widows (I Timothy 5:3). In fact, our mouths are to be filled with honor and praise all the day (Psalm 71:8).

What does Honour do?

Honour recognises God at work. Honour recognises the rightful place of God’s authority and His flow of command. The picture that God conveys of honour and authority in the family is clear:

1Co 11:3  But I want you to know and realize that Christ is the Head of every man, the head of a woman is her husband, and the Head of Christ is God.

In God’s house the principle of Honour is also clear: Heb 13:17  Obey your spiritual leaders and submit to them [continually recognizing their authority over you], for they are constantly keeping watch over your souls and guarding your spiritual welfare, as men who will have to render an account [of their trust]. [Do your part to] let them do this with gladness and not with sighing and groaning, for that would not be profitable to you [either].

The man of God must walk in humility, so he may never ask for Honour, for it is not demanded but given by obedience to revelation. Where there is dishonour the purpose blessing and favour of God is blocked.

When Ham did not honour his father Noah his punishment fell upon his son Caanan.

In 2 Kings 1 when King Ahaziah of Israel dishonoured the prophet Elijah 100 of his best soldiers died in a rain of fire.

When Absalom, David’s son dishonoured his father he was killed by David’s captain while hanging by his beautiful hair in a tree.

The first call to honour for all of us is to honour our father and mother. It may seem to be hard to honour your father if you believe he has not acted honourably. What are we to do about this? Honour is defined in the New Testament as: to value, to prize, to revere, glory, to esteem in the highest degree, to hold in the highest regard, to show respect. This is not respect for what our father does or did, but respect for who they are. When God commanded us to honour our fathers, surely you must believe that He was aware that many fathers would live far from perfect lives.

When we give honour to our fathers it empowers them. When we honour our fathers we give place to God’s ordained path of blessing and authority. Lack of honour for fathers and for leaders is very disempowering. Very few men are strong enough to stand in the face of contempt, judgement and dishonour for long periods.

What would happen if you honoured your father and other God appointed leaders in your life? You would be saying to God, I accept your leadership of me through these godly appointed leaders. David honoured King Saul even when Saul was backslidden, far from God, consulting witches and physically threatening David’s life. David’s mindset was, “Saul is King, God made him King and if anything is going to change, God will be the one to do it, not me. For me, I will not touch the Lord’s anointed.” In other words, God is in control no matter what it looks like on the outside. That is giving God control and access and leadership.

Today I want to inspire you to honour your father. Whether he has done right or not. Whether he is inspiring or not.  To honour is to refuse to criticise, to speak with respect, to obey them when the command does not cause you to disobey scripture. To honour is to recognise that God has appointed them to lead you. That God is ultimately in control when you go with His plan.

  1. If your father has passed on, and you believe you dishonoured him in any way – it’s time now to repent and ask God to forgive you. Now speak well of your father for whatever good was in his life.
  2. If your father is alive, speak to him respectfully; ask forgiveness if you have shown dishonour over time.
  3. If your father has deeply hurt you, seek God for the strength to forgive and refuse to speak evil of him any longer. If you are able, speak respectfully to him and seek God to bring healing of this relationship.

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ARE YOU DISSATISFIED?

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »

SPRING BREAKTHROUGH – SEPTEMBER 1Spring Breakthrough

Welcome to Spring here in Australia. Welcome to the season of new life and growth. The old deadwood of winter is past and the temperature is rising and the son seems stronger. It’s time to put away the cloak of winter and come out from our hibernation due to cold and low level of light.

I’m tired of status quo. I want to break free of the ordinary and mundane. It’s not that I’ve backslidden or anything like that; I just know that there is so much more that I have not enjoyed yet in terms of God’s promises and power. Like the Jews who waited for centuries for their Messiah, there was a time when He came and everything changed. I’m seeking God for a change. The change must come in me. I want to take up God’s challenge when He said: Deu 4:29  But if from there you will seek (inquire for and require as necessity) the Lord your God, you will find Him if you [truly] seek Him with all your heart [and mind] and soul and life. (AMP)

I love God, but it’s been a long time since I was broken in His presence, receiving revelation about how wonderful He is or how I have not obeyed Him in some way. I have led people to Christ recently but I want to see so much more Holy Spirit power in witnessing to people who are far from God. I need financial breakthrough, healing in my body, restoration of relationships and so much more. This is not a selfish cry for more things for me but a cry of surrender to the fullness of what God has planned and promised to me through His word. The world all around me is so lost and ignorant of the wonder of my Jesus, I am not satisfied with the lack of power in my life. It’s not OK that so many people without Jesus in my city are on a trajectory to hell. I am not satisfied. God has put a burr in my undies. Please God not another five or ten years of ten percent Christianity. I want and I need to experience all that you have for me.

Enough dull boring hum drum Christianity. Enough of the same ol’ same ol’! What we have is wonderful and we are grateful, but there is so much more for us!

In the Arab world something has been happening over the last three years.

The Arab Spring (Arabic: الربيع العربي ‎, ar-rabīˁ al-ˁarabī) is a term for the revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests(both non-violent and violent), riots, and civil wars in the Arab world that began on 18 December 2010.

To date, rulers have been forced from power in Tunisia,[1] Egypt (twice),[2] Libya,[3] and Yemen;[4] civil uprisings have erupted in Bahrain[5] and Syria;[6] major protests have broken out   in Algeria,[7] Iraq,[8] Jordan,[9] Kuwait,[10] Morocco,[11] andSudan;[12] and minor protests have occurred in Mauritania,[13] Oman,[14] Saudi Arabia,[15] Djibouti,[16] Western Sahara[17]and the Palestinian Authority.

The Arab spring is widely believed to have been instigated by dissatisfaction with the rule of local governments.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring

The people have been dissatisfied with status quo and know that what they are living can be improved. People have been willing to lay down their lives for that desire for freedom. They are sick of being ruled over by powers that make themselves rich at the people’s expense.

JUST THE SAME

In just the same way that people have risen up in these Arab counties to seek a better life; I want to my own spring breakthrough! I want to seek God and humble myself and call upon God to experience more of a God Encounter. I need to break off the despotic rule of unbelief and fear and find the power of God in a greater dimension.  DO YOU WANT THAT?

Over the next three months in this church I am going on a journey to find God in a powerful new way. I am challenging you to join me. If you want to stay the same, that’s up to you, but if you believe God has more for you than what you’re experiencing right now then come on, roll up your sleeves, and join me in an awesome journey of embracing a bigger God Encounter.

 

This is how we begin. It’s time to take stock. You can’t go to any location anywhere if you don’t know your starting point. Let’s see where are we at right now spiritually? Answer these next few simple questions and evaluate your starting point. Add up the points in brackets from your answer.

  1. Length of time since salvation? 0-2 years (10); 2-5 years (5); 5 or more years(0)
  2. Length of time since you experienced a personal revelation from God that impacted your life enough to tell someone else about it? 0-6 months (10); 6-12 months (5); 12months or more (0).
  3. My relationship with the Holy Spirit: I am full of the Holy Spirit and sense His work in my life daily (10); I Know about the Holy Spirit but I want to experience His life more (5); I am not sure if I am filled with the Holy Spirit (0).
  4. How long since you shared your faith with another non-Christian? 0-6 months (10); 6-12 months (5); more than one year (0).
  5. How long since you prayed with someone to receive Jesus as their saviour? 0-2 years (10); 2-5 years (5); more than 5 years or never (0)
  6. For you prayer is: a vital part of my day (10); something I do as a regular task (5); Something I do when I have a need (0);
  7. When I read God’s word : I am impacted by the conversation I have with God (10); I find it tedious or dull (5); I don’t read it very much(0)
  8. In terms of my physical health: I am feeling well and God answers my prayers for strength and healing (10); I have experienced healing in the past but I need some help at the moment (5); I have never asked God to heal me of anything, and I need to experience a miracle healing(0)
  9. My finances are: in  great shape and I see value in tithing and giving (10); I need a breakthrough in finances even though I am a giver (5); I need a financial miracle and I am not a tither or giver (0)
  10. My relationships – family and friends : are strong and stable, working through forgiveness and healing (10); I have some tension in relationships and it seems uncomfortable (5); I am estranged form people I should be in relationship with (0).

 

Count up your points

  • 100 – Your Jesus, right?
  • 70-100 – Can you please come and coach and mentor others who need a God Encounter?
  • 50-70 – There’s so much more for you, jump in!
  • 20-50 – Please join in this journey we will walk beside you.
  • 0-20 – You have the greatest potential for growth – be excited and come on this marvellous journey to find God in a powerful way.

 

We will be referring to our teaching series this year as each month we have unpacked the big themes that make for great disciples, for example:

January – Boot Camp – Prayer, authority, word and giving.

February – You fit here – Finding your place in the Body.

March – Crazy Love – Discover how much God truly loves you

April – You’re Full of it – Being filled with and baptised in the Holy Spirit.

May – Led by the Spirit – How to let the Holy Spirit guide and lead you.

June – REALationships – Making sure your relationships with people are healthy

July – Tuned in – Powerful prayer experience.

August – Living Word – making sure you are getting the word of God into your life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Take the survey and discuss how ready for change are you?

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I THOUGHT I HEARD BUT I WASN’T LISTENING!

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

LIVING WORD – SUNDAY NIGHT 25TH AUGUST 2013.LISTEN TO GOD

GOD SPEAKS – WHO’S LISTENING?

Can you say if you have ever heard God speaking? Or have you known the supernatural way God leads you?

God is speaking all the time – is anyone listening?

Psa 19:1  To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. THE HEAVENS declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows and proclaims His handiwork. [Rom. 1:20, 21.]

Psa 19:2  Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge.

Psa 19:3  There is no speech nor spoken word [from the stars]; their voice is not heard.

Psa 19:4  Yet their voice [in evidence] goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world. Of the heavens has God made a tent for the sun, [Rom. 10:18.]

Psa 19:5  Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; and it rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

Psa 19:6  Its going forth is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the ends of it; and nothing [yes, no one] is hidden from the heat of it.

God speaks through the creation. Just look around at this world in all its beauty!

And yet many don’t recognise God’s handiwork, or refuse to acknowledge His reality and power. It may seem like it’s all about your cognitive reasonable thought process, but no, the fact is, that what is in your heart can prevent you or enable you to hear spiritual truth. Like the emperors new cloths you may be convinced you know that God is not real while all the while the evidence all around you is complete.

What you hear is affected by what’s in your heart.

Rom 1:20  For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Ps. 19: 1-4.]

Rom 1:21  Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened. (AMP)

Also God also speaks to us through His word.

Psa 19:7  The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Psa 19:8  The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.

 Again what you hear is affected by what’s in your heart.

 Mar 4:9  “Are you listening to this? Really listening?”

Mar 4:10  When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along with the Twelve, asked about the stories.

Mar 4:11  He told them, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom–you know how it works. But to those who can’t see it yet, everything comes in stories, creating readiness, nudging them toward receptive insight.

Mar 4:12  These are people– Whose eyes are open but don’t see a thing, Whose ears are open but don’t understand a word, Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven.” (MESS)

Psa 19:7  The law of the Lord is perfect

God’s word is perfect. No errors. No translation difficulties – listen to the Ahmanson Lectures. http://pvc.podomatic.com/entry/2012-03-03T13_07_53-08_00

If you have any doubts about the trustworthiness of the bible at all, then I ask you, what are you doing about that? If you doubt the truth of the bible, you may feel that you can ignore it; but what if you’re wrong? Will you place your eternal destiny in a feeling? Have you thoroughly studied the subject? Do you know absolutely that it’s only a book? If your eternal destiny depends on what you believe about its contents, why wouldn’t you investigate?

When we read God’s word – it rejoices the heart. The person who has an open heart and desires truth experiences an internal sense of agreement when they hear or read God’s word. Listen to this scary verse…

2Th 2:9  The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders,

2Th 2:10  and use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved.

2Th 2:11  And so God sends the power of error to work in them so that they believe what is false.

2Th 2:12  The result is that all who have not believed the truth, but have taken pleasure in sin, will be condemned. (GNB)

God’s word is highly valuable.

Psa 19:9  The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

Psa 19:10  More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.

The taste of the word is sweet. If you’re hungry for God, the word is food and nourishment.

Pro 27:7  He who is satiated [with sensual pleasures] loathes and treads underfoot a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. (AMP)

Do you seek great reward?

Psa 19:11  Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.

His word keeps us from error

Psa 19:12  Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden [and unconscious] faults.

Psa 19:13  Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression.

Psa 19:14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer. (AMP)

DO YOU VALUE GOD’S WORD AS TRUTH AND LONG FOR IT TO CHANGE YOU?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Can you share a time when the word of God has deeply impacted your life?

2. What was the reason the Children of Israel couldn’t hear the word of God? (Mark 4:9-12)

3. How can you prepare your heart to be able to hear from God?

4. If someone is really hungry for the word of God how will they act? What will they do?

5. Is there a way to increase your hunger for God’s word?

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WHAT KINDA BREAD ARE YOU CHEWING ON?

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 18, 2013| Leave a Comment »

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE.  THEME- LIVING WORD . PREACHING # 3 AM – Sunday 18th August 2013.

Living WordIn this series of preaching here at Plenty Valley Church our purpose is to inspire you & empower you to value, read and apply God’s word. In this church we believe that the bible is divinely inspired and infallible from cover to cover – If you would like more information about that please go to our podsite: http://pvc.podomatic.com/entry/2010-04-09T06_14_02-07_00

REVISION –    August 4th – What ever He says to you – do it. We shared the story of the Wedding in Cana. You must hear the word and do it – then you build your house on the rock and not on the sand because the storms of life will surely come to everyone, but if we have built in the word of God then our house (life) can stand.

–         # 2 – August 11th – The Word is alive and powerful, but only if it’s IN YOU! Not just on the printed page.

KEY VERSE FOR THIS SERIES

1Th 2:13  And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it].

Also:

Heb 4:12  For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE

Jesus is called the word –  the Logos in John chapter one.

Joh 1:1  IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. [Isa. 9:6.]

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE

In the Old Testament we read that the Children of Israel we feed with supernatural food called manna which appeared to them each morning like hoarfrost on the ground. Even back then God had in mind to teach His children that the bread from heaven was supernatural and it represented God’s word.

Deu 8:2  And you shall [earnestly] remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and to prove you, to know what was in your [mind and] heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.

Deu 8:3  And He humbled you and allowed you to hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you recognize and personally know that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

This same truth is repeated in Luke 4:4 and also Matt 4:4 man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

To LIVE is to BELIEVE

THE STORY OF JOHN 6

The chapter opens with the story of feeding of the 5000. At this first part of the chapter we see the mention of bread that is supernaturally supplied from Jesus.

Joh 6:5  Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat?

Joh 6:6  But He said this to prove (test) him, for He well knew what He was about to do.

Joh 6:7  Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennies’ (forty dollars) worth of bread is not enough that everyone may receive even a little.

People followed Jesus the next day, because they wanted more bread, they were searching for the physical sustenance. But Jesus warned them that they needed spiritual sustenance, not just physical.

Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the miracles and signs but because you were fed with the loaves and were filled and satisfied.

Joh 6:27  Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes [in the using], but strive and work and produce rather for the [lasting] food which endures [continually] unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him.

Here Jesus makes it plain that the food he spoke of was God’s word and it was for the giving of life. Jesus told them plainly – I am the bread of life.

Joh 6:35  Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time).

The Jews said Moses gave us bread from Heaven in the wilderness.  Jesus replied, “No that wasn’t the bread of Heaven, I am the bread of Heaven.”

MANNA – DAILY BREAD –  A PICTURE OF JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE

Let’s look at what happened when God gave the manna to the children of Israel in the wilderness.

Exo 16:14  And when the dew had gone, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a fine, round and flakelike thing, as fine as hoarfrost on the ground.

Exo 16:15  When the Israelites saw it, they said one to another, Manna [What is it?]. For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. [John 6:31, 33.]

Exo 16:16  This is what the Lord has commanded: Let every man gather of it as much as he will need, an omer for each person, according to the number of your persons; take it, every man for those in his tent.

Exo 16:17  The [people] did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

Exo 16:18  When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack; each gathered according to his need.

Exo 16:19  Moses said, Let none of it be left until morning.

Exo 16:20  But they did not listen to Moses; some of them left of it until morning, and it bred worms, became foul, and stank; and Moses was angry with them.

Exo 16:21  They gathered it every morning, each as much as he needed, for when the sun became hot it melted.

This picture of the manna is a picture of God’s provision for us in His word.

Manna came to them daily; and it sustained them for 40 years. God’s word is for a lifetime.

–         We need today’s word, not yesterday’s word – fresh revelation.

–         For the Children of Israel it became boring – they detested it. – often we seek stimulation; but we need spiritual food.

Another picture of the word in the Old Testament is the Table of shewbread in the Tabernacle of Moses. It is called the bread of the presence, and consisted of 12 loaves, one for each tribe. This speaks of the communion around the word for every believer.

What ever we eat becomes a part of us. We are to become partakers of the Divine nature through partaking of the bread of life.

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE – DAILY SUSTAINS US

STORIES

  1. BROTHER YUN –

This beautiful testimony from one of God’s modern day heroes shows how the word of God sustained him. Brother Yun was imprisoned by the Chinese authorities because of his faith.

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STORIES

  1. CRAIG – At times of disappointment that arise from not seeing the results that I long to see in people saved, lives changed, church growth and churches planted – I am seeking the Lord and many verses come to mind to strengthen me. One that I have found to be very encouraging is Ephes 3:16

Eph 3:16  May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE – DAILY SUSTAINS US

It’s you reading the word of God daily that gives you life, to feed your faith, to build a reservoir of His word inside you so that you can draw on it at all times.

In our Urban Connect groups that’s why we don’t do a teaching – a bible study in our small groups – we want to promote your reading of Gods word for yourself, You must learn to feed yourself.

PICTURE – For a person in hospital in critical care a Naso-gastic tube keeps them alive but you can’t live like that! Similarly getting the word of God through preaching and attending church can keep you alive, but you can’t live like that! God wants you to feed yourself.

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – HE GIVES LIFE – DAILY SUSTAINS US

Joh 6:57  Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me [whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me] shall [in his turn] live through and because of Me.

Joh 6:58  This is the Bread that came down from heaven. It is not like the manna which our forefathers ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever.

RESPONSE

  1. Try the reading plan – Go to http://pvcoc.org.au/bible_reading_plan.php
  2. Read the word daily even if it’s one verse.
  3. Memorise the word. Say it over and over till you can memorize it.
  4. In this world we are dominated by the pervading world view which is secular humanism. It is feeding you all day every day through the mass media and it is drip feeding us it’s own godless values – it is imperative that we feed on the life of Jesus through His word every day.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why is it so hard to read the word of God daily?

2. What is the best translation for you?

3. When is the best time of the day to read the word for you?

4. Is the reading plan working for you? Is there a better way for you to read the word of God?

5. What is your goal for reading God’s word over the next two weeks?

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