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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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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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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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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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WHY WOULD MEN PRAY?

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 27, 2013| Leave a Comment »

TUNED IN # 4 AM – 28 JULY 2013       Why would men pray?prayer

PRAY FOR THE CHURCH KNEELING DOWN – ASK FOR THEIR EYES TO BE OPENED

I want you to imagine a scenario…

Our land is invaded. From the north, hundreds of thousands of troops are flooding in.

They take over all infrastructure, electricity, water, gas, hospitals an schools.

Our army is overthrown quickly by sheer numbers. Our police are vastly outnumbered. There is a new rulership – a new law has come in.

You can’t move around anywhere you want. Roads are blocked. There’s no flights. Communications are cut there’s no internet. All phones are down. Television is commandeered, only propaganda is televised. No newspapers are printed. Coastlines are patrolled no boats are getting out. The nation is locked down.

Some people still try and go to work just like they used to, desperately clinging to some form of normal existence. Others resist! What would you do?

Who will take up arms? Who will fight? Who loves their nation enough to fight for it?

I’ve got news for you…

It’s already happened!

Our nation is taken over spiritually by an enemy.

2Co 10:3  For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.

2Co 10:4  For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,

While church attendance is dropping all over Australia we see society disintegrating and suffering with people struggling to find answers.

Our political leaders are known for deceit and lying.

Domestic Violence is tearing families apart with the result that violence is the leading cause of death, disability and illness in women and has an economic impact in 2009 of $13 Billion to the Australian economy.(1)

With binge drinking in our high school age youth reaching alarming levels A study by La Trobe University found that for year 12 females having five or six drinks in a day. The percentage increased from 16.9% of year 12 female students in 2002, to 32.1% by 2008.(2)

Police, doctors and nurses in Hospital casualty wards and ambulance drivers are routinely attacked by drunken youths who create mayhem every weekend in our city.

Teachers are leaving the profession in droves because they cannot cope with the violence and disrespect in the classroom. Nearly two-thirds of Australian teachers are considering quitting their jobs for a new career.  Principals experience violence in the workplace at a rate six time higher than in the general workforce. (3)

In Australia, the number of children who do not reach the age of 15 in an intact family with both of their biological parents has almost doubled within a generation. While the chances of a marriage ending in divorce have been increasing in the last 25 years, the increase in children experiencing parental separation is largely a consequence of the rapid rise in the numbers of children born into de facto relationships, which subsequently break down. There has also been an increase in the number of women giving birth to a child without having a cohabiting partner. In 2009, 35% of all births were outside marriage. (2)

Overall, 40 per cent of young people 16-24 years have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives. (2)

Mental illness is in epidemic proportions in our nation Beyond Blue reports that one in five Australians will suffer from Depression at some point in their life. (4)

It took me 30 minutes to compile these figures with complete references. I could go on to say so much more. But what does all this mean to you, to me?

Are we more than alarmed by these results?

While the church struggles to address some of the symptoms of these broken and hurting people, who is attacking the cause?

Our enemy is spiritual. The enemy is the forces of darkness, demonic influences in the world. Where godlessness and spiritual apathy prevails the devil has a heyday.

Eph 6:12  For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

The church is asleep. While our nation falls apart morally and socially, we the church put up with the decline as inevitable. Has unbelief so robbed us of a clear perspective that we consider that this great decline in health of our people is expected, unchangeable, or worse; not our problem?

What does Jesus say?

Mat 16:18  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

God’s view of the church is an overcoming power. This is spiritual power and its released in prayer! This kind of prayer does not list out to God our personal needs only but declares and demands the Kingdom Come the Lord’s will be done as He has taught us to pray.

It’s time to wake up the mighty men!

It’s time to pray! How much this real scenario affects us is directly proportional to the light we have spiritually, the revelation of truth concerning the gospel and how lost people without Jesus truly are.

Rom 13:11  Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).

What moves you? If our nation was invaded by a military force as I described earlier how would you react? Will you now be like the frog in the kettle that slowly adjusts to the changing climate of our age and accepts the vast decline in godliness and health as normal. That’s just life?

Or will we pray? Will we call upon God?

2Ch 7:14  If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Don’t think this is a quick fix. This will take years. But shall we do nothing? Shall we continue to act as if we are powerless and have no obligation?

Let me read to you what happened in Scotland when a few in number prayed and reacted against the ungodliness of their society.

This story is about the revival in the Hebrides in 1948-52.

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When William Booth started the Salvation Army in 1865 he was not asleep but he saw that warfare was called for due to the plight of the society he lived in. this is what he said:

“While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight. While little children go hungry, as they do now,  I’ll fight While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight. While there is a drunkard left,  While there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, While there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight-I’ll fight to the very end!”

His weapon was he Gospel and so well did he preach it that most converts to the Salvation Army who were often come out of prison, drunkards, prostitutes and criminals were totally transformed and went on the serve God for their whole lives. (5)

Is the world of Melbourne any different to the town of Stornaway in Scotland? Do we carry the same burden for the ungodliness of our generation? Can we affect a change as great as they did simply by praying?

The answer to this lies only in your own heart.

For me, I will pray. I will seek God every morning here at 6am, at pre-service prayer meetings, at HUB prayer meeting once a month and within our Urban Connect groups.

If anyone is willing to pray consistently at any other time- I will join you. Every church has an opportunity to change its community. Every church can be a catalyst for change if they put their trust in God an call upon His name humbling their hearts before Him.

What shall we do? How shall we respond? Instead of a huge blast of commitment for a few days and then back to normal life as if nothing happened; can we gradually build up prayer in our personal prayer lives and in our corporate prayer lives so that over the next few years we see a great weight of prayer poured out for our city?

Make no mistake this can never be carried by a prayerless church and this can never be carried by personal prayer alone; it must include corporate prayer.

References

  1. Preventing Violence Against Women – Short course – Vic Health
  2. For Kids Sake – Research Report – Prof. Patrick Parkinson AM, Uni. Of Sydney
  3. http://www.badapplebullies.com/research.htm
  4. http://www.beyondblue.org.au/
  5. The General Next to God – Collier – Penguin press.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Does the scenario of an invasion of Australia by a military force have any similarities with the spiritual decline and ill health of our nation? Discuss.

2. What things do you see in Australia that cause you deep concern for our nation?

3. How effective is the faith filled prayers of God’s people?

4. How shall we pray to make a difference?

5. When and where can we pray as individuals and as a corporate group?

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WOULD YOU PRAY IF EVERY PRAYER WAS ANSWERED?

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

TUNED IN # 3 AM.   Preaching 21 July 2013  am.Tuned In 2Meme prayer 1

Prayer grows out of relationship. If there is relationship there is communication.

STORY – During the time I was away in the Solomon Islands last week I communicated with my wife, Chris via Facebook messaging. It was great to be able to chat all day long between tasks, and I felt like I was connected to her. About 20 years ago I was away in Russia in 91-93 for 3 weeks and had virtually no communication with Chris. That was difficult, you just don’t know what’s going on and you don’t feel the reassurance that this person is doing fine. Prayer is just like that.

Deep inside you there is a deep passion to commune with God, to hear His voice, to share in His presence. My goal this morning is to unlock that desire. To help you overcome some obstacles to fellowship with God.

MY STORY

After getting saved, I was in the habit of praying at night, spending time in conversation with God. Later when I got married I changed to being a morning pray-er and used to get up early and spend time with God in prayer and bible reading.

How much would you pray if every prayer you prayed was answered?

Here’s what God says about your expectations of prayer.MORPHEUS MEME PRAYER

Mat 7:7  Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.

Mat 7:8  For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.

Yet prayer is more than just seeking an answer, it’s conversation. Chris and I talked over Facebook while I was away. It wasn’t all about either of us asking for things. It was doing life together.

Could it be that you stopped praying just before the answer came?

Luk 18:1  ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up).

Daniel Prayed.

Dan 10:11  And [the angel] said to me, O Daniel, you greatly beloved man, understand the words that I speak to you and stand upright, for to you I am now sent. And while he was saying this word to me, I stood up trembling.

Dan 10:12  Then he said to me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind and heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come as a consequence of [and in response to] your words.

Dan 10:13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief [of the celestial] princes, came to help me, for I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Dan 10:14  Now I have come to make you understand what is to befall your people in the latter days, for the vision is for [many] days yet to come.

Every time you pray God hears you.

Psa 34:15  The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry.

We measure our results by the leading of the Holy Spirit not by what we see.

2Co 5:7  for we walk by faith, not by sight;

Example: My back healing 18 months.

We are linked into God to change the world. God is totally confident that He can change the world through you.

Mat 28:18  Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Mat 28:19  Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

1Co 3:9  For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, labourers together) with and for God; you are God’s garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God’s building. [Isa. 61:3.]

Daniel prayed and God showed him and all of us the future of the world till the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Joseph prayed and a prisoner went from gaol; to Prime minister and feed the entire known world for 7 years during the worst famine on record.

PRACTICAL RESPONSE

  1. Learn to pray. – join us week day mornings 6-7am
  2. Pre-service prayer rallies 9.30-9.55am
  3. HUB once a month, second Wednesday
  4. Pray in your Urban Connect group.
  5. Join prayer email link & Facebook.

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WHAT DO WE DO WHEN RELATIONSHIPS BREAKDOWN?

Posted in Church, Equip the Saints, Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Preaching message – REALationships # 4 – 30June13AMREALationship

Conflict in life is inevitable. Have you seen how many TV shows are about conflict?  One in particular that’s really popular at present is called Revenge! People are fascinated by conflict as long as it doesn’t include them. Remember the school fights, how fast people come running to see who’s fighting who? In many of our famous sporting events there is actually a debate about whether we should allow the biff. For example State of Origin Rugby League.

Jesus said Mat 18:7  Woe to the world because of offenses! For it is necessary that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! He was referring to the conflict that inevitably arises to challenge every child of God because of the unrighteousness of man.

In families, the workplace, your neighbourhood, and in church there will be conflict.

WHY?

Because we as human beings, Have opinions, Like to see things our way, Don’t like to be told when we are wrong, Don’t like to say sorry, Think everyone should just listen to us, Feel we are more important than others; in short we are selfish and fallen creatures. The goal in life for any believer is to grow to become more like Christ and that means maturity and a way to handle conflict. Jesus was the master at handling conflict we can learn from Him. Yet he was never weak or afraid.

You can argue that a piece of paper is black and someone else says it’s white. You can argue all day but maybe you’re just seeing different side of the same paper.

In Matthew 18 there are clear instructions about how to handle conflict, but here’s how some people handle it…

  1. Get angry and upset. – escalates the problem
  2. Blame the other person, the church and maybe even God for not caring.
  3. Tell everyone about what happened – gossip. – escalates the problem
  4. Leave the church because “No one should ever be treated like that”

When people do this, they are like a person who, when sitting for an exam at Uni, sits down and doesn’t like the look of the questions, so they storm out of the exam room. This kind of reaction has a big impact on your future. Life is a test. Church life is a series of growth challenges because God is growing an army not a complaints bureau.

Let’s look at how Matthew 18 says to handle it. Matt 18:15-17

Firstly it’s about relationships – it’s not about who’s right!

Secondly –   when the basis is humility then Conflict Resolution is easy.

  1. Go to the one who offended you, not to everyone else. – If someone ever comes to you to complain about anyone else; please say, “You realise you’re talking about my brother/sister? Let’s go talk it over with them.”
  2. If he/she doesn’t listen – take someone with you who understands your position. This person needs to have wisdom and maturity.
  3. If he/she still doesn’t listen – go to the church.  (As I have done leadership over the last 30 years I have found that the church is best represented by the senior leadership of the church.) (1 Cor 6:5)

For many step 1 is too hard for these reasons:

  1. They feel intimidated
  2. They don’t know what to say

In this case you need an advocate. That is someone who will come with you and articulate your case. (Paul in 1 Cor 6:5 warns this should not be a non-Christian)

So here’s your game plan. This is our churches conflict resolution policy.

  1. You experience Conflict – Rejoice – it’s exam time!! You get to move up if you handle this well
  2. You can choose to forgive, forget and move on. Never bringing it up again to ANYONE.
  3. You can’t forget it, so go to the person who offended you and talk it over. If that’s too intimidating take a wise and Godly leader with you. All the Pastoral Staff are ready willing and able to assist you in this matter. If you’re complaint is against me – go to Ps John first and if you are unsatisfied you can go to my leader Ps Ross Abraham.  It’s OK to be wrong; it’s not OK to be belligerent.
  4. Determine in your heart that it’s about relationship, not proving who’s right. You’re happy to be wrong, you’re happy to compromise, you’re happy to be right and not have that recognised. You just want to heal a relationship.
  5. Be ready to forgive genuinely from the heart.
  6. If He/she won’t listen then take another one or two to stand with you.
  7. If he/she still won’t listen, then go before the church leadership team and state your case. If he/she still won’t respond, then Matthew 18 advises to treat them as a non-Christian. In other words we endeavour to win them to Christ.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Why are we fascinated by watching others in conflict? Discuss.
  2. What does Jesus expect of us when we are in conflict with a brother or sister?
  3. Why is it hard to make the goal, restoring the relationship, rather than just proving who is right or wrong?
  4. Is it ever OK to raise your voice when trying to resolve conflict?
  5. What damage does gossip do to a church?

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