Indecision IS a decision at a certain point.
Your decisions will rise to the level of your faith.
You can choose innocence.
Your mind needs to be engaged in faith.
Acts 4:13, “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”
Philippians 4:8-9, ”And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
It takes practice.
“Wars are won before they are ever fought.” - Sun Tzu
2 Corinthians 10:3-5, “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”
Take them captive.
“Christianity is an identity that is RECEIVED, not ACHIEVED.”
Sermon Title: Take Your Positions
1. Take Your Positions
He acknowledged the problem & the source
He prayed and worshipped
He acknowledged his own limitations
He obeyed, and marched
2. Do Not Be Afraid
3. The Lord Is With You
What if you only FEEL like you’re a little lost right now?
What if you’re actually right where God wants you.
Job 1:1-3
Job 1:6-12
Job 2:3-13
Job 3:1-5
Job 32:2-5
He makes a couple of solid points:
You ASSUME God isn’t answering you.
--maybe He has, and you weren’t listening.
You ASSUME God is going against his own sense of justice
--when really, you’re putting your own justice on Him.
You ASSUME you are without sin.
But by doing so, you are committing the sin of pride.
You ASSUME that because He hasn’t answered so far, he isn’t going to.
--when really, you’re just not being patient.
You ASSUME suffering is a punishment.
--but what if it’s a warning?
You ASSUME you should understand everything about God.
--but really, who could? Ever?
1. Jesus went where He was invited.
3 types of friends: Front door friends, dining room friends, kitchen friends.
Classified by how deeply you let them into your life. Acquaintances, Social Friends, Best Friends.
2. Fix the heart.
People can FEEL judgement. It’s felt more than it is said.
This Pharisee had poured religion and rules and laws into his heart for so long, that he lost the SPIRIT of the law, by obeying the LETTER of the law.
You can say all the right things, with the wrong heart behind it, and still be wrong.
3. Honor what you CAN.
Forgiveness is not EARNED, it is given. Trust is earned, forgiveness is given.
Jesus forgave her sin because her heart was grateful. Because her ACTIONS showed her faith. Because she knew that he could.
4. Gratitude can fix a lot.
If you’re struggling with judgmental thoughts...anxiety and depression…selfishness or arrogance… Start practicing gratitude.
To fix the judgmental thoughts we must:
Recognize them.
Examine them.
Take them captive.
Retrain yourself.
True Jesus followers…
Make mistakes and admit them.
Fakers pretend they don’t make mistakes. And take offense very easily.
Are humble and servant-hearted.
Fakers think the world owes them something, and make quick & loud judgements about people.
Ask questions.
Fakers think they know it all, and will usually try to “disciple” you..without being asked to. (OR--very obviously try to avoid advice, because they have an idea of what you’ll say already, whereas true disciples ask even if they have an idea about what they’re going to hear)
Three types of people:
The LOST (know they are lost)
The BLIND (lost, but think they’re found. Both the lost and the blind are LOST, one just doesn’t know it)
The FOUND (and know they are found)
FOUND people are willing to give everything and anything in service of Jesus.
FOUND people are willing to change when confronted with the TRUE love of Jesus.
FOUND people show their faith through their actions, instead of letting it be action only.
FOUND people know who they would be, without Jesus.
(Jesus was tempted to feed the physical, build his pride, and grab power.)
1. You're Not Disqualified
2. We Should Expect It
3. God Has Prepared You
4. He Has Prepared You
Some things I’ve studied about doves! They are:
Faithful
Fast
Fresh/Pure
Cooperative
Hunted, but not extinct
Compatible almost anywhere
Ready even when they sleep
Each wing has 9 feathers.
John 3:1-3, Matthew 3:16-17, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
The Nine Gifts:
3 To Help You Think Like God (REVELATION)
Wisdom
Knowledge
Discernment
3 To Help You Speak Like God (PROCLAMATION)
Tongues
Interpretation
Prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1-4)
3 to Help You Act Like God (DEMONSTRATION)
Miracles
Healing
Faith
The Nine Fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control
The 5 Ministry Gifts: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher
Jesus tore the veil.
We stitch it up.
James 4:8
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (NIV)
HE WILL COME NEAR TO YOU.
Isaiah 50:4
“The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
and opens my understanding to his will.” (NLT)
HE WILL REVEAL HIS WILL TO YOU. (It doesn’t have to be a mystery!!)
Jeremiah 33:3
“‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” (NIV)
HE WILL ANSWER YOUR CALL.
John 15:5
“’I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.'” (NIV)
HE WILL HELP YOU BEAR FRUIT.
2 Corinthians 1:20
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
HE MAKES PROMISES TO YOU THROUGH JESUS.
1. The Passover
2. The Plan
3. The Pain
4. The Passion
5. The Promise
What does it mean to be baptized in the Holy Spirit?
Water Baptism happens after salvation it is not what saves you.
Holy Spirit Baptism happens after salvation it is not what saves you.
Holy Spirit Baptism is Subsequent and Distinct.
Extra reading -Two prophetic passages are especially significant—Ezekiel 36:25–27 and Joel 2:28,29:
Salvation brings a new identity but baptism brings power, and purpose.
Is speaking in tongues the initial physical evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?
Acts 10:44-48
How can you experience the baptism in the holy spirit?
Create an atmosphere of expectation by praising and expressing love to Jesus audibly.
i. Ask, don’t beg.
ii. Just love on your Father God and express praise to Jesus.
iii. Thank Jesus for the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
iv. When you hear expressions, words, or syllables forming in your mind, speak them.
You need to know about the Holy Spirit to receive the holy spirit.
-you have been told so now you have access
Matt 10:7, “Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
The Kingdom of God is: here AND there. now AND then.
The Kingdom of God is: in each of us.
The Kingdom of God is: modeled to the world, through the church.
Free the Future is FV’s 2021 initiative to see the Kingdom of God give more, tell more, and serve more.
We cannot wait to see what God is going to do in the future when each of us, individually, is able to challenge ourselves to die to our own selfish nature, and truly be disciples of Jesus, today.
GIVE MORE
2 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Corinthians 8:12, Malachi 3:10, 2 Corinthians 9:11, Luke 6:38, Exodus 35:22, Leviticus 27:30
TELL MORE
Mark 16:15, 1 Peter 3:15, Jeremiah 1:7-8, Matthew 5:16, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:17, Colossians 4:2-6, Matthew 28:18-20
SERVE MORE
Matthew 23:11, Mark 10:45, 1 Peter 4:10, Romans 12:9-13, Galatians 6:10, Luke 6:35, Acts 20:35, Colossians 3:23-24
I tend to think that most unbelievers have a problem with one of the following 3 statements.
God is real.
God is good.
And He loves you so much.
Luke 24:49
Acts 2
This is a witnessing lesson for you today. There WILL. always. be. haters. Even Jesus didn’t convert EVERYone. Focus on the one you CAN reach. Not the ones you can’t.
Here’s the beautiful thing about how God works….God is a collaborator. He doesn’t need anyone or anything else outside of Himself to accomplish His divine purpose for the world, and yet He chooses to use a collaborative effort of His power and our participation to do it.
The Holy Spirit partnered WITH Peter to preach the Gospel. Three elements: Holy Spirit’s power, Peter’s participation, and the GOSPEL, partnered together to bring in a mighty Kingdom Harvest! Today is no different
If God so loved the world, why do so many believers behave like he hates it?
Your anger isn’t attracting unchurched people, it’s repulsing them.
Romans 1:20
Genesis 1:26-28
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you an opportunity today to talk with someone about the Gospel message, and TAKE IT! An easy way to get to this point is by asking someone, “Has anyone ever explained to you exactly what Jesus did for you? May I?”
What is your testimony? What is your story?
Who were you before Jesus?
What made you finally come to Him?
Who are you now?
“If we ACTUALLY believed, what we SAY we believe in the Word...how would our lives change?”
It often surprises Christians when they discover just how much the Bible talks about money. In fact there are more than 2300 verses on money, wealth and possessions. Jesus spoke about money roughly 15% of his preaching and 11 out of 39 parables.
A 2007 Barna Research Group study revealed that only 5% of adults in America tithed.
Among those that do, evangelicals were among the most generous, but still only 25% of them (us!) tithed.
Pushpay (the app that we use to process online giving) reported in 2019 that tithers only make up 10-25% of any congregation.
So do we honestly see it as a privilege? Do we even know what that means?
“If you say God is your God, but you don’t tithe, is He really?”
Withholding from God puts barriers between you and Him.
He’s not putting them there…your mistrust is.
We withhold from God out of fear, and fear and faith don't mix.
You take care of the house of the Lord, and He will take care of you.
Free the Future is FV’s 2021 initiative to see the Kingdom of God give more, tell more, and serve more.
We cannot wait to see what God is going to do in the future when each of us, individually, is able to challenge ourselves to die to our own selfish nature, and truly be disciples of Jesus, today.
GIVE MORE
2 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Corinthians 8:12, Malachi 3:10, 2 Corinthians 9:11, Luke 6:38, Exodus 35:22, Leviticus 27:30
TELL MORE
Mark 16:15, 1 Peter 3:15, Jeremiah 1:7-8, Matthew 5:16, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:17, Colossians 4:2-6, Matthew 28:18-20
SERVE MORE
Matthew 23:11, Mark 10:45, 1 Peter 4:10, Romans 12:9-13, Galatians 6:10, Luke 6:35, Acts 20:35, Colossians 3:23-24
Free the Future is FV’s 2021 initiative to see the Kingdom of God give more, tell more, and serve more.
We cannot wait to see what God is going to do in the future when each of us, individually, is able to challenge ourselves to die to our own selfish nature, and truly be disciples of Jesus, today.
GIVE MORE
2 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Corinthians 8:12, Malachi 3:10, 2 Corinthians 9:11, Luke 6:38, Exodus 35:22, Leviticus 27:30
TELL MORE
Mark 16:15, 1 Peter 3:15, Jeremiah 1:7-8, Matthew 5:16, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:17, Colossians 4:2-6, Matthew 28:18-20
SERVE MORE
Matthew 23:11, Mark 10:45, 1 Peter 4:10, Romans 12:9-13, Galatians 6:10, Luke 6:35, Acts 20:35, Colossians 3:23-24
1.Dreaming is Dangerous
Genesis 37:5-13, “5 One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. 6 “Listen to this dream,” he said. 7 “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine! 8 His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. 9 Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!””
Joseph's dreams were a gift from God
James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
His Brothers made it clear they did not like his dreams.
People will not understand your dreams
People might not understand your choice you make as a believer
When your friends call and invite you to that party where you know there will be illegal drugs and excessive drinking and you say I wont be there—you become weird.
When you don’t join the gossip at work—you will be weird.
When you know God has something great in store for you—you will live different and some people wont like it
You don't have to tell everyone the dreams you have
Matthew 7:6 “Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.”
There are some things going on in the political climate I disagree with.
There are some things said on facebook that do not line up with my dreams for the world.
They will not and can not understand.
Genesis 37:23-25, “23 So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24 Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.”
2.Dreams are Dangerous When the Well is empty
Thrown into an empty well
His brothers threw him in the empty well, but Potiphar threw him in prison.
Joseph was doing everything right this time
He got to work and he was honoring God and still he ends up in a prison
Don’t be surprised that this world has evil people doing evil things.
But Joseph decided that he would do what GET TO WORK.
3.Dig your well deep!
Joseph was a slave and prisoner for over 10 years. He worked his way out (Even in prison Joseph worked hard)
Jesus took a cup of wine and bread and he died and rose three days latter because the whole bible is connected!
4.Disciples are not just Dreamers they are also Doers
Genesis 50:19-21, “19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 21 No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.”
Jeremiah 2:13
“For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
that can hold no water at all!
Two lies we buy into:
1.We’re inherently good people.
2. We’re too messed up for God to love us.
Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
Matt 5:14-16,
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
We need to POUR OUT OF OUR OVERFLOW. We’re the lamps, but HE’S the electricity. All we have to do is plug into Him.
Ephesians 4:11-12
”Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”
God makes seeds. We are the gardeners.
This is why sin will always find you out. It has an effect on the status of your overall soul.
Bound, stopped up, clogged…
”If the enemy can’t get your soul, he’ll try to get your fruitfulness.” - Christine Caine
John 15:1-4, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”
We’re fruitless without Him.
John 15:5-8, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
True disciples produce fruit. What are you producing?
John 15:9-11, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
We’re called to be OVERFLOW-ERS. We’re called to be fruitful.
Are you just someone who believes Jesus existed? Or are you a disciple?
Faith without works is dead.
Obedience is not legalism, obedience will lead to a flourishing life.
We live in a world that wants you to be happy. Happiness is our god as a culture. Anyone that doesn’t make ME happy is cut from my life. Anyone that says things that make ME uncomfortable is cut from my life. This person is CANCELLED, and that person is cancelled, and we talk a lot about MY freedoms, and MY rights, and MY this and MY that. Carefully controlling our worlds to fit around US and make us happy.
We fill our bucket with Christian-like things. And we try to pour that IN the well.
It’s never going to work long term.
We’re all chasing happy, when we should be chasing something else.
1. It’s a GIFT
We sometimes act like it’s a burden…”I should do this….I should pray more...I should be more patient…”
Take it or don’t, but stop acting like it’s an obligation!
They got to realize that Jesus wasn’t just someone who walked around WITH them, but now He was someone that walked around IN them...things began to change RAPIDLY.
Jesus is always trying to get us to see past the physical, into the spiritual.
2. Stop watering the well!
“Pastors determine the vision, but you help determine the speed.” - Aaron Schumer
Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.”
Isaiah 48:17-18, “This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea.”
What we put in always reflects how much we trust God.
This will be a year of overflow!
Have you ever felt that you have a weak prayer life?
It is like you are pushing a rock but nothing is happening?
Point 1 - Prayer is a Mystery
Prayer is a paradox
Prayer is simple - you have not because you ask not
Prayer is complex - Paul asked for the thorn in his side removed
Prayer is important - Jesus prayed daily
Prayer is common - any child can pray
Prayer is powerful - Prayer can be for healing of cancer
Prayer is basic - Prayer can be for healing a headache
So lets learn about it
Luke 11:1-4
“Disciples seek a Vibrant prayer life.”
Point 2 - Knowing is’t Enough
Jesus hides the truth in simple stories called parables.
Luke 11:5-13
Needs vs wants
This is a Parable of contrast - we need to contrast what known about God against this truth
Another parable about prayer that reveals the same truth is found in
Luke 18:1-8
Point 3 - Never Stop Praying
Is God un just - No! This is another contrast
When you do this everyday it changes YOU!
Point 4 - Prayer Changes You!
If you pray for the same thing everyday those prayers change you.
The boy pushing the bolder!
Your prayer life makes you stronger.