Beyond the Natural

Finding Life in the Dead of Winter

2010-12-14T05:13:00.001-08:00

I believe & teach that we are by-products of the environment that we dwell in. This is not a great thought of great depth, rather it's just common sense. If we run with a rough group of people we will in return lead a rough life. If we hang out with loving & caring people then we will develop into a loving & caring individual. It's not rocket-science, but it is in all actuality a Biblical standard of the Christian life. If we are to be the best son/daughter of God, we must surround our lives with the word of God, worship, psalms, hymns, etc.

With that established I turn our focus on the season in which is upon us here in the United States...Winter. When winter approaches & digs deeps into action we immediately sense a transition in the lives of many people. For many, winter is a very depressing time of the year. They look around and see no life. The trees are bare without leaves, grass is no longer growing, there are no flowers blooming, the skies are often grey and filled with a gloomy appearance for days at end. Even though winter brings us Thanksgiving meals, Christmas dinners/parties, a fresh start to a new year and the beauty of snow...many still struggle with the environment of winter.

As a child of God who has served in ministry for 13 years I see the pattern every year in the local church...Sadness, Gloom, Despair & Depression. They all make their appearance during this time of the year. So many people battle these burdens & often they struggle greatly with each or more than one at a time. Congregations join at a service and the overwhelming majority is "down-in-the-dumps". Because it is a majority, many congregations struggle to get past our emotional & mental despairs that we leave a service empty. I see many come to a service hoping that they will get a "breakthrough", but because they are struggling with so much they enter a service with little expectations. We come to a service with little or no expectations, expect the worship leader to get us into God's presence with little or no efforts on our part, and then we want the pastor to give us a message that will miraculous change everything for us without any change within us.

The challenge for us is to actually look at something that the winter season can teach us. During winter I admit that things seem very dark & gloomy. During winter there is very little life; although we know that life still goes on the appearance is not in front of us. With everything that seems to be gone during winter that is a very critical important lesson to learn about this season. When we see the grass no longer growing, or trees without leaves, or flowers no longer in bloom we automatically assume that life is at a stand still. Because of the appearances of no-life (or stand still) our spiritual lives become just that...at a stand still. Our spiritual walk seems to produce very little or nothing at all. We get in ruts or experience a spiritual season of lifelessness. The reality is that we often develop this pattern simply because we see this pattern in our own physical life. The physical life suddenly transitions into our spiritual life!

So, how do we challenge ourselves to get past this? Really it is simple. We must change our perspective of the environment of the season we are in. Point being: In winter everything appears to be lifeless, but there is a major force that is raging in the dead of winter...it's our rivers. Regardless of where you live, rivers rarely ever freeze. Ponds & lakes (small or great) will always freeze simply because they are bodies of water that are limited to the point that they are at a stand still. Because they remain without a flow, they freeze. But, if you look at the rivers upon the land in which we dwell they will be flowing with great force. Rivers don't freeze because they are in a constant flow unlike a body of water at a stand still. In the mountains & valleys that are covered in the depths of snow (or ice); you will see that rivers are not affected at the environment of the dead of winter. Rivers have life simply because they are flowing.

Jesus would speak about rivers (John 7:37-39) in our own lives and just like the rivers upon the earth, the rivers of living water in which Jesus spoke about had the same thing in common: the "Flow"! We must change our perspective in such a way that we refuse to be caught standing still. We must strive to flow and continue to move towards the purpose of God's will in our lives. Just because it is the season of winter, God does not take a Christmas Vacation. Abba Father still has a purpose for you and HE is not done with you yet!

Many will now say that I just don't understand and I can't relate to what they are going through. For the most part they are correct. However, I lived with depression for 3 years early in my life and I can tell you clearly today exactly what it takes to get beyond what is bringing you down. GOD IS BIGGER THAN MY PROBLEMS! If you can't realize that, then HE will always be limited in your life. You can't expect God to take from you what your not willing to let go of!

"Well Pastor my problem is that I keep doing what I know to do. I study the word of God, I pray, I seek Him, I worship and yet I seem to get nowhere. I can't seem to hear from God any more." I want to tell you a simple truth...everyone of us will find ourselves in this same position. We experience God and because we have a certain moment we expect to hear (feel or experience) God in that exact same manner. And then, because of those particular moments, we begin to convince ourselves that this is the only way that God communicates to me. When we no longer have those "exact" moments we convince ourselves that we are no longer hearing from God and we've hit a spiritual wall. Listen, you can't give up to the lie that God is no longer speaking to you! Just because you are not experiencing HIM the way that you're familiar with simply means that HE is trying to teach you a better way, a great way, a deeper way, a supernatural way to deepen your relationship with the Father. Just because you're not getting through like before don't stop flowing (studying, praying, seeking, fasting, worshiping, etc.). The silence in which you hear just might be the call from the Father to crawl up into HIS lap so that HE can whisper the most intimate details HE wants you to know!

The Fruit of The Spirit (pt. 1)

2010-10-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

Many people continue to seek the power and manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit, but often they do not place a priority on the call of every believer to a holy life.

Our desire should be to have Christ-like qualities through the supernatural power with the edification of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Regardless of what anyone says, God still frowns on sin and has called us to be conformed to the image of His Son.
We must remember that gifts are given, but spiritual fruit is developed. The fruit of the Spirit comes to us when we receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior; however, it only comes as a small seed which must be nurtured and developed in our lives (or watered) through prayer, by reading the Word, and by putting faith into action.
If Christ is in us, then we should be Christlike. The fruit of the Spirit is the display of the character of Christ. It is His presence within us that enables us to develop the spiritual fruit in our lives.

It is interesting that the Bible both begins and ends talking about fruit.

"And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man saying, 'Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat'..." --- Genesis 2:15-16

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."
--- Revelation 22:1-2

God's Divine Purpose
God's divine purpose for your life is for you to bear spiritual fruit. Your relationship to Jesus (Yeshua) is described in John 15:5 in this way, "He is the vine, and we are the branches."

Again in John 15:16 the Bible declares, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

In order to bear this fruit, you must be planted and properly rooted spiritually:

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper"
Psalm 1:1-3.

If you want to bear spiritual fruit, then you must reject sin, walk in holiness, and delight in God's law. You must also be planted in the house of God - connected to the Body of Christ.

Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together" and Psalm 92:13-14 tells us that:

"Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing...".

A Supernatural Process
Bearing fruit is a supernatural process. Jesus produces the fruit and we bear it. The Father is the divine gardner who supervises the process:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth (prunes or refines) it, that it may bring forth more fruit."
--- John 15:1-2

The purging process is one that may Christians reject because when they go through difficulties in their lives they always think that the devil is attacking them. God prunes productive plants for the same reason a farmer prunes - to produce more fruit.

Jesus' parable of the barren tree in Luke 13:6-9 illustrates how God works continually and patiently with the unproductive to produce fruit.

"A certain young man who had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, 'Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it in the ground'? And he answering unto him, 'Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down'."

The Nine Fruit
The book of Galatians identifies the Christ-like qualities that God wants to produce in our lives: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." --- Galatians 5:22-23

Notice that the "fruit" of the Spirit is singular (not plural), for there is one fruit revealed in nine separate supernatural manifestations.

Peter wrote, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" II Peter 1:8.

We are "filled with these fruits of righteousness only by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." Ephesians 5:9

The 1st three fruit focus on your relationship with God.

The 2nd three fruit focus on your relationship with others.

The final three fruit focus directly on the individual.

Why do people complain?

2010-10-18T06:44:00.001-07:00

Complaining is expressing dissatisfaction with something or someone; but more than that, there tends to be a self-centered bent to it. We didn’t get what we wanted, we got less than someone else, we didn’t get what we deserve. The focus is on ourselves. Shifting blame and making a charge against others is a big part of complaining too. When we focus on ourselves and we don’t get our way, we blame others. Complaining causes us to focus on what we don’t have, rather than on what we do have.

Numbers 11:4-6 . . . The people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed . . . “day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!”

We complain when things don’t go our way and we don’t get what we want.

IS IT A SIN TO COMPLAIN?

Numbers 21:5-6 . . . They began to murmur against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness? . . . There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this wretched manna!” So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among them, and many were bitten and died.

Philippians 2:14-15 . . . In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing so that no one can speak a word of blame against you . . . Let your lives shine brightly before them.

Be careful about whining, griping, or complaining. When we have so much to be thankful for so little to complain about, yet we choose to complain, God considers it a sin. We are demonstrating an attitude of ungratefulness. It was enough of a sin for the Israelites that God punished them with poisonous snakes.

WHAT IS COMPLAINING WRONG?

Deuteronomy 6:16 . . . Do not test the Lord your God as you did when you complained at Massah.

Complaining is often a form of testing God, or testing His patience.

Job 10:1 . . . I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Complaining reveals bitterness in our lives.

Psalm 106:25 . . . Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.

Complaining can lead to further disobedience.

James 4:11 . . . Don’t speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God’s law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it.

James 5:9 . . . Don’t grumble about each other, my brothers and sisters, or God will judge you. For look! The great Judge is coming. He is standing at the door!

Complaining about others is indirectly complaining about God and his word.

WHAT CAN I DO INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING?

Philippians 2:14-15 . . . In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you.

Instead of complaining about others, be a role model to them. Role modeling at its best lifts others up while complaining puts them down.

Lamentations 3:39-40 . . . Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn again in repentance to the Lord.

Instead of complaining about the sins of others, let’s repent of our own sins.

Luke 6:37 . . . Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven.

Instead of complaining about the weaknesses of others, let’s forgive them as we would like to be forgiven.

DOES MY COMPLAINING EFFECT THOSE AROUND ME?

Proverbs 19:13 . . . A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a nagging wife annoys like a constant dripping.

Proverbs 21:19 . . . It is better to live alone in the desert than with a crabby, complaining wife.

Proverbs 19:3 . . . People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.

Lamentations 3:39 . . . Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins?

Malachi 2:14 . . . You cry out, “Why? . . .” Because . . . you have been disloyal to her.

It’s bad enough to complain, but it’s worse to complain about something that you have caused.

IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT, TAKE IT TO GOD!

Numbers 11:10-11 . . . Moses said to the Lord, “ What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this?”

The people complained to one another, and nothing was accomplished. Moses complained to God, who can solve any problem. We need to learn to take our problems to the one who can do something about them.

Jonah 4:1-11 . . . He complained to the Lord about it.

Romans 11:2-4 . . . Elijah the prophet complained to God . . . “I alone am left” . . . And do you remember God’s reply? He said, “You are not the only one left.”

Taking our complaints to God often changes our perspective.

ARE THERE REALLY ANY DANGERS IN COMPLAINING NOW & THEN?

James 5:9 . . . Don’t grumble about each other, my brothers and sisters, or God will judge you. For look! The great Judge is coming. He is standing at the door!

WHAT DO I DO WHEN OTHERS COMPLAIN ABOUT ME?

Proverbs 15:31-32 . . . If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.

Proverbs 25:12 . . . Valid criticism is as treasured by the one who heeds it as jewelry made from finest gold.

Proverbs 29:1 . . . Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be broken beyond repair.

Constructive criticism should always be welcomed if it is given in a spirit of love.

ALWAYS REMEMBER…

Ephesians 4:29 . . . Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Do you want good sons/daughters or Godly sons/daughters?

2010-09-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

Seeker Sensitive – We have failed to understand who the seekers are...

Those who truly seek God face to face; don’t want to go to a church service for 45 minutes and walk way unchanged.

Students (sons/daughters) who become seekers often want to press in more & often longer (periods of time) causing many parents/adults to wonder how long are they going to be in there.

However, if little Johnny was playing football you would stay through 4 overtimes, but let the alter call an extra 30 minutes and people start freaking out.

For many, we need to quit saying that we want Godly kids, because in reality all you really want is Good kids...

Good kids make straight A’s

Good kids don’t get pregnant before they get married

Good kids make up their bed before they go to school

Good kids do their homework and they are obedient

Good kids never embarrass me in front of my church friends

Godly kids will wake you up at 3 in the morning with the sound of intercession coming through your walls waking you up out of your sleep.

Godly kids will walk through the house and directly ask why are you watching that certain TV show.

For too long we haven’t desired Godly kids, but really just good kids!

We have sought after well behaved kids with good manners and pleasant, so that people can look at our kids and comment on how well mannered they are.

I want Godly Kids!

1. Godly kids will mess with you!

2. Parents soon come home and see that a Godly Kid will have thrown the DVD’s, video's, CD's, magazines & books out with the trash.

I want to tell you that I strongly believe that we should build a church that is seeker sensitive!

We need to build a church that is truly sensitive to the true seekers of HIS Presence & HIS purpose!

I have never met a seeker who will look down at their watch and say that this better be over within the next 20 minutes.

If you come over to our house and the first thing that you do is look at your watch to determine how long you will have to stay…you are no longer invited to our house!

If you sit down on my furniture and ask how long is this going to take…I want you to know that you have dishonored my house. You don’t realize the time and sweat that was put into this house by my wife just before you were even allowed through our front door. And you want to know how long!

How do we make God feel when we enter into his house and ask how long is this going to take?

But it is 12 o’clock…time to zip the Bible up, Pastor needs to finish

Sadly, in most churches today, you don’t even need your Bible because God knows that the person behind the pulpit is not going to preach from it.

a. In many Churches today there are these glorified Dr. Phil’s in the pulpits that don’t need a Bible to preach from because they are nothing more than a motivational speaker. (You don’t need a Bible to be a motivational speaker.)

Here is the truth:

God talks about seekers in the Bible…

They were not looking for a drive-thru service, but for the very face of God!

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

We are going to raise up a seeker-sensitive church…that is built for a seeking generation!

A generation that will say…”I’m not leaving until He comes. I don’t care if it is noon, or 4 in the afternoon, or 6 at night. If we have to stay in the building and pray through the night.”

We have come for Jesus and we are not going to settle for another service without Him.

I am tired of the kingdom without the King!

There is NO kingdom when there is NO King!

It does not matter how many kingdom books you read or write, or how many kingdom sermons you preach…The very essence of the kingdom is the presence of the King!

The thing that makes His dominion available is the fact that His presence is available.

We have tried to release His dominion without being willing to seek His face!

SEEKERS: God said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a woman who lost her coin and yet moved everything around to find what she had lost!

What are we willing to seek for?

People of Destiny

2010-09-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

John 13:1-5 16:33 17:5-11

God has a specific purpose and a destiny for your life.

It is your responsibility to find out what it is and align yourself with it. This is the only way to be truly satisfied and successful.

Introduction:

What has 9-11-01 done to you? It has radically changed our world.

However, our world can change without us being changed.

Many people are rethinking their purpose, priority, and passion.

ü What does it take to fly a plane into a world trade tower?

ü What does it take to take on hijackers and bring a plane down?

ü What does it take to win?

ü What does it take to be counted?

ü What does it take to live a life of fewer regrets?

ü What does it take to be truly satisfied and successful?

Text:

John 13:1-5 Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

Jesus knew: (Know who you are) {Ex. - Seeing Jesus in each other}

ü Who He was

ü Where He came from

ü Why He was here and

ü Where He was going

----The most beautiful picture of death in the Scriptures---“going to the Father”

John 16:33 – These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 17:5-11 Jesus Prays for Himself

ü How many of us know there are two worlds? That we will have trouble but we can have triumph.

ü Nothing reveals the soul like prayer.

ü How many of us do things knowing that it is time.

ü Ask for spiritual gifts and blessings, then give it back to God—don’t use them selfishly: Honor, power, glory, authority, opportunities, relationships, etc.

ü How many of us go about knowing “God has sent us”

ü The best way to glorify God is to “finish the work” He gave you to do.

¨ “It is finished” was not defeat – He did not say “I am finished”, but what he said was a statement of victory, satisfaction, success, and release

Jesus was a Man of Destiny!

People of Destiny are:

(Definition of Destiny: your overall circumstances or condition in life, including everything that happens to you)

1. Deliberate – focused effort – as a rifle, laser beam not a shotgun approach to life, but intentionally.

Luke 2:49 – I must be about my Father’s business

John 4:34 – My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and finish the work

2. Dedicated – Given over to the task at hand—No distractions

i. Devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose

ii. Set apart for a higher purpose

Philippians 2:5 – He became obedient unto death, even death on the cross

Philippians 3:12-16 – Paul said “this one thing I do”

3. Diligent – without haste, no delay – work long, hard, and steady

John 9:4 – I must work the work of Him who sent me, while it is day…

4. Disciplined – No distractions or hindrances

i. Self-control

Two-Kinds of discipline:

A. Internal – self discipline

B. External – discipline through others

Hebrews 12:1-3 – keep your eyes on Jesus. He kept His eyes on His goals

5. Decisive – Committed to decision and action

i. Having the ability to determine certain outcomes

Luke 22:39-46 – In Gethsemane He prayed “Not my will but yours…”

Being decisive does not mean that there are not doubts, but it does mean that determination will triumph over doubt.

Ezra, a Man of the Heart

He applied God's word to himself before preaching it to others

Ezra 10:1 - While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites--men, women and children--gathered around him.

ü Ezra knew how to get things done. He had the political savvy to win a Persian king's support for the trip back to Jerusalem, the salesmanship to convince Jewish family leaders to go along, and the organizational know-how to mount the long, complicated, and dangerous expedition.

ü At the same time, Ezra was a priest who depended on God. He set aside days for fasting and prayer. He knew and lived by the Old Testament law, but used it as a path to a profound relationship with God. When he studied Scripture, he applied it to himself before applying it to others.

7:10 - For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

Conclusion & Application:

ü God has a specific plan and place for you.

ü Are you a person with a mission and a person on a mission?

ü What are your mandates, motives, message, and methods?

Things that you and I need to work through…

Five Defining Questions (Jesus Knew these answers about Himself):

1. Who am I?

2. Where did I come from?

3. Why am I here today?

4. Where am I going?

5. How do I get there?

Five Deciding Questions:

1. What am I doing that will continue after I leave?

2. What will I do to take with me when I leave?

3. What would I do in my life for others if money were not an issue?

4. What would I do in my life for others if money were an issue?

5. What is there in my life that if I don’t do it, it will never be done and what will be the consequences for leaving them undone?

Purpose and Destiny of the Seed:

ü Seed stored in a bag somewhere in a barn only has one purpose

1. To be planted

ü Seed planted no longer has a purpose, but a destiny

1. Application of soil, water, and sunlight

2. Growth

3. Production

ü The Destiny of the seed is to ultimately produce MORE!

ü Process of the seed:

1. Good Foundation: strengthens the roots to withstand nature

2. Sun Light: Greater growth increase

3. Water: Larger Fruit Production

ü So Must a Christian Be:

1. Founded on a strong foundation in the word of God

2. Always a light in darkness looking towards the Son

3. Growing from the “Living Water”

ü As the seed of corn so must the Christian realize our destiny:

1. Application of the Word of God in our lives (Not what it says, but what it means to you in its applied form)

2. Spiritual growth from the application process

3. Producing Fruit: Soul Winning!

Gal 5:22-23- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Matthew 28:19-20 -Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Is Sacrifice Necessary?

2010-09-07T06:49:00.000-07:00

Sacrifice is a very old idea in worship, but is it necessary for today?

Genesis 22

· We see the rite of sacrifice demonstrated in the beginning of the Bible with the sons of Adam. The practice was clearly approved by God. Later in the Bible we see that Noah offered sacrifices, and so did Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Job and his friends also offered sacrifices.

· The concept of sacrifice was later a part of the Law given to Moses, and various types of sacrifices are detailed for us in the early chapters of Leviticus. Certainly, our fathers had one thing in common. They all built altars to God and they all made sacrifices.

A. For the most part, sacrifices required shedding the blood of lambs, of goats, of calves, etc.

B. The shedding of blood speaks of a very big problem in man's approach or access to God. This is illustrated by Cain's offering of the fruit of the field. His offering did not suffice and he was not accepted by God. His brother Abel, on the other hand, offered a blood sacrifice and was accepted. The Bible tells us that he (Abel) offered in faith (Heb.11:4). He was, no doubt, looking forward to a future Messiah and a future sacrifice that would permanently solve the sin problem.

C. In biblical times both the Tabernacle and the Temple taught much concerning this subject. Inside these beautiful structures, communion with the true God was possible. The arrangement of both of these structures was a picture of spiritual progress.

i. One came into the outer court, then into the inner court and finally into the Holy of Holies where God dwelt. Only the chosen priest could enter there, and not without blood.

ii. It is significant that as one entered the outer court he was confronted immediately with an altar. This altar blocked the way into the presence of God, which could be experienced within. Although in ancient times animals of many types were offered on this altar, it was clearly necessary for a better offering to be made. The mere fact that animal sacrifices had to be repeated raised questions as to their efficacy (Heb. 10:1-4)

A. As a Christian we believe that Jesus, the God-man, was that perfect sacrifice who was offered once for all for the sins of all mankind (Heb. 10:14; Isa. 53:10).

B. We believe that Psalm 40:6-8 speaks of this offering in these words: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, `Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.'"

C. One of the important Hebrew words for offering has the root ka-rav.

i. The root word also means "to come near" or "to approach." Quite literally we cannot come near to God without sacrifice.

ii. Even the word for the offering itself, kar-ban, is a derivative of this root. With the whole idea of sacrifice as the approach to God so deeply ingrained in the Bible, it is amazing we could have almost lost this concept in our modern world.

1. We try to approach God in many ways.

2. We often try to make ourselves presentable to him by our finery or by our long prayers or other means.

3. We try to "clean ourselves up" to approach him.

4. We forget that in God's order of things, the altar comes first and the laver for washing comes second.

5. We do not wash up before meeting God.

6. First there must be the blood sacrifice, and then God washes us through regeneration and through his Word (Tit. 3:5; Eph. 5:26).

7. It is clear that we cannot really make this blood sacrifice.

8. It was made for us long ago in the death of Jesus.

THE PRINCIPLES OF SACRIFICE

Question - What are some other things involved in sacrifice?

1. One very important principle is that God must be first in everything.

a. Several offerings of Israel illustrate this fact, such as the offerings of the first-born and the first-fruit. The best had to be given to God, even before the Israelite farmer could have a taste.

b. The first pressing of the olives had to go to God's temple for the menorah. When fruit trees were planted, one had to wait three years before harvesting the fruit, and then in the fourth year all the fruit had to be given to God (Lev. 19:23-25). It was God's way of teaching his people patience and faith.

c. Also, imagine waiting in anticipation for the cow to have a calf and then realizing that this precious firstborn had to be offered to God as a burnt offering.

2. The religion of the Old Testament was a costly religion. King David once said, "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Sam.24:24).

3. Today in our giving we strain to reach the tithe (10 percent). Old Testament religion started at this point. After the tithe there was the Sabbatical Year.

a. When one lived in an agricultural society and didn't farm his land one year out of every seven that is effectively another 14.2 percent offered up to God. This does not consider that on the Sabbatical, all Hebrew slaves were freed and all debts to fellow Hebrews were canceled (Deut. 15:1, 12).

b. If one did not harvest the corners of his fields or go back for second pickings, so that the poor could glean (Lev. 19:9), there is possibly another 5-10 percent.

c. For those who kept the Sabbath, that lost day of production could amount to another 14.2 percent.

d. Then there was the year of Jubilee every 50 years. At that time all property reverted back to its original family ownership and all Hebrew servants were set free. That might amount to another 2-10 percent, depending upon how wealthy a family happened to be.

e. Of course, we are already getting up into the area of 50-60 percent of total income offered to God. All this does not count the offerings.

f. There were the offerings of the first-born and first-fruits that we have mentioned. Plus, all males were required to go up to Jerusalem three times each year (Ex. 23:17), and they were forbidden to appear before the Lord empty (Deut. 16:16).

g. They had to bring animals from their flocks each time. Then there were the whole offerings, cereal offerings, drink offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and trespass offerings (Lev. 1-5). All these offerings could easily total up to another 5-10 percent of a family's income.

4. It immediately becomes apparent that sacrifice brings out real faith. Unlike the heathen all around them, the Israelites had to live by faith.

5. They were constantly selecting their best animals, even choice breeding stock to offer to God, while the heathen were hoarding theirs and attempting to increase their flocks. Strangely in the end, it was the Hebrews whose flocks increased until they were the envy of all their neighbors.

6. Perhaps this helps us understand why early Christians were selling farms and houses and giving 100 percent of the proceeds to the apostles. They did not expect to be penniless and homeless because God had also commanded hospitality. They knew that God would supply all their needs according to his riches in glory through Christ (Phil. 4:19).

WHAT SACRIFICES CAN WE STILL MAKE

· The concept of sacrifice has not passed away.

· Real relationship with Jesus Christ still demands it.

A. In response to the all important sacrifice of Christ, which was made once for all for our salvation, there are some sacrifices we can make.

1. There is our sacrifice of thanksgiving (Psa. 116:17).

2. Then there are the sacrifices of prayer and praise (Heb. 13:15; Psa. 50:23).

3. There is the sacrifice of our gifts (Phil 4:18)

4. The sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart (Psa. 51:17).

5. Finally, there is the concept of the whole life offered up to God as seen in Romans 12:1-2: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."

· If we want to know how meaningful our relationship with Abba Father is, we should count up what it is costing us, and that will be a good indicator.

· When our relationship gets stale it becomes religion and then it is there that the lack of sacrifice is often the problem. There are times when we need to just recklessly offer something to God - something that is really precious to us.

A. We must be careful never to give with the selfish idea of receiving, but when we sacrifice, we do in a sense trust God to replace what is given, in his own time and in his own way of course.

B. Somehow, when we give to God we are able to strangely retain what is given and have the increase and the blessing too.

C. It's amazing! Martin Luther once said "I have held many things in my hands, and have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."

D. The author of Proverbs says something very similar: "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty" (Prov.11:24).

· Like our fathers of old we need to get into the practice of building altars everywhere we go and offering our precious things upon them.

· Abraham did this regularly. It is our altars that break open the heavens for us, for our children, and for others around us.

· I personally feel that it was the result of Abraham's sacrifice in Genesis 12:8, that Jacob was able to see heaven opened in Genesis 28:10-15. Both events occurred at exactly the same spot, with only time separating them.

· In Leviticus 6:9, 12, and 13, we see that the fire must never be allowed to go out on God's altar. His altar is never to be without sacrifice.

· Let us keep the fires kindled. It will bring us a warmer, more blessed relationship with the Creator!

The Great Reformers

2010-08-31T05:52:00.001-07:00

2 Chronicles 15:2 - "and he went out to meet King Asa as he was returning from the battle. “Listen to me, Asa!” he shouted. “Listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will abandon you."

The book of 2 Chronicles can be seen as a kind of "profiles in courage" for the nation of Judah. The vast majority of kings flunked the courage test. But a few exceptions did stand out, and 2Chronicles dwells on them. Judah was drifting further and further away from the worship of the true God. It took great courage to fight against that trend and call for a return to the law of Moses. Therefore these kings excelled not so much because of military or political strength, but because of their faithfulness to God. All the great reformers described here took over in difficult times. They helped stop, at least temporarily, their nation's tragic slide away from God.

Asa: Cleaning Up the Land (chapters 14-16)
Asa inherited a country full of crime and anarchy. He led a wildfire revival, with the whole nation uniting behind him in a huge celebration in Jerusalem. Yet Asa became cocky in his later years: he jailed a prophet of God and lived out his last days plagued by war and by disease. He did much good, but fell short of the kind of courage that endures a national crisis.

Jehoshaphat: The Organizer (chapters 17-20)
Where Asa inspired the nation, Jehoshaphat organized it. He had an outstanding domestic policy: he educated his citizens in the Book of the Law and built up a national court system and large army. Curiously, Jehoshaphat's wise judgment failed to carry over into foreign policy, for he made foolish alliances with neighboring Israel's very worst king, Ahab.

Joash: Refurbishing the Temple (chapters 23-24)
Joash stepped onto the throne as a boy of seven. He reigned 40 years and accomplished much good. Second Chronicles focuses mainly on his repairs of the temple, which he tried to restore to former glory.

Jehoiada: Strength behind the Throne (chapters 23-24)
King Joash hardly deserves a compliment without the mention of a priest named Jehoiada. He hid the boy Joash from a murderous queen and led the dramatic revolt against her. When he died at a very old age, the nation gave him the extraordinary honor of a burial place alongside kings. After Jehoiada's death, everything went downhill. The boy king who had shown such promise murdered Jehoiada's son, a deed that went down as one of the great crimes of Israelite history. It became clear that the real strength of the kingdom had come from the old priest, not the young king.

Hezekiah: A Day to Remember (chapters 29-32)
Second Chronicles gives more space to the reign of Hezekiah than to that of any other reformer. He sponsored a great religious festival, an idea that first met with scorn and ridicule. But the nation did come together in a remarkable scene of happiness and unity. "There was great joy in Jerusalem," the Bible says, "for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem" (30:26).

Josiah: The Complete Reformer (chapters 34-35)
Josiah was perhaps the most reform-conscious of all Judah's kings. When the Book of the Law was discovered, Josiah realized just how far his kingdom had strayed from God's ideal. He tore his robes and wept, and led Judah back toward God. A foolish military campaign brought about Josiah's death and ruined the chances for permanent change in Judah. Known as "the good king Josiah," he was mourned by the whole nation. The prophet Jeremiah composed songs, or laments, in his memory.

* These are just a few examples of individuals who were able to demonstrate that one person's faith can affect a great many others. As individuals we often think that we can not achieve great things in the Kingdom of God, but it is always the will of God to move throughout the Kingdom by using an individual to do great things for HIS glory & honor! Don't stop pressing in! Seek HIS Face & know that you are God's Best!

Abstinence or Purity, is it really a big deal?

2010-08-25T06:23:00.001-07:00

HOW CAN OUR LIFE BECOME PURE?
Joshua 6:1-27

KEY VERSE: They completely destroyed everything in it-men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, donkeys-everything. (Joshua 6:21)

TRUE PURITY COMES FROM RADICAL COMMITMENT.
1. Why did God demand that the Israelites destroy almost everyone and everything in Jericho?
A. He was carrying out severe judgment against the wickedness of the Canaanites. This judgment, or ban, usually required that everything be destroyed (Deuteronomy 12:2-3; 13:12- 18).
B. Because of their evil practices and intense idolatry, the Canaanites were a stronghold of rebellion against God. This threat to the right kind of living that God required had to be removed. If not, it would affect all Israel like a cancerous growth (as it did in the book of Judges).
2. God wants us to be pure.
3. He wants us to clean up our behavior when we begin a new life with him.
4. We must not let the desire for personal gain distract us from our spiritual purpose.
5. We must also reject any objects that are reminders of a life of rebellion against God.

Matthew 23:1-39
KEY VERSE: How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and self-indulgence! (Matthew 23:25)

TRUE PURITY COMES FROM THE HEART.
1. The Pharisees strained their water so they wouldn’t accidentally swallow a gnat-an unclean insect according to the law.
2. Meticulous about the details of ceremonial cleanliness, they nevertheless had lost their perspective on inner purity.
3. Ceremonially clean on the outside, they had a corrupt heart.
4. Jesus condemned the Pharisees and religious leaders for outwardly appearing saintly and holy but inwardly remaining full of corruption and greed.
5. Living our Christianity merely as a show for others is like washing a cup on the outside only.
6. When we are clean on the inside, our cleanliness on the outside won’t be a sham.

John 17:1-26
KEY VERSE: Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. (John 17:17)

TRUE PURITY COMES FROM GOD.

• A follower of Christ becomes sanctified (set apart for sacred use, cleansed and made holy) through believing and obeying the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12).
• He or she has already accepted forgiveness through Christ’s sacrificial death (Hebrews 7:26-27).
• But daily application of God’s Word has a purifying effect on our mind and heart.
• Scripture points out sin, motivates us to confess, renews our relationship with Christ, and guides us back to the right path.

DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABSTINENCE?
NO! There is no Biblical evidence of abstinence; however the Bible does require purity. Below are the reasons to help understand why purity is the Biblical Standard…

Definition of Abstinence - voluntary forbearance especially from indulgence of an appetite or craving or from eating some foods. a : habitual abstaining from intoxicating beverages b : abstention from sexual intercourse
• Abstinence comes from the word ABSTENTION which means: the act or practice of abstaining

Definition of Purity - the quality or state of being pure
• Now the strange thing about the definition of purity is that it also says that it means SATURATION, which means: chromatic purity : freedom from dilution with white b (1) : degree of difference from the gray having the same lightness —used of an object color (2) : degree of difference from the a chromatic light-source color of the same brightness —used of a light-source color —

• The difference between Abstinence & Purity is very simple…Abstinence is something that you practice, where Purity is something that you live and develop into a lifestyle!
• If you live a life simply based on Abstinence, then you must realize that you can still live a life that harbors wickedness.
• Unlike Abstinence, if you strive to live a life of Purity, you will realize that wickedness has no place in your life.

Today...
• A young lady/woman who has sexual relations for no other reason but to have sex is automatically categorized as being a slut.
• A young lady/woman who has sexual relations with a guy because he buys her the best of everything then is automatically categorized as a whore.

A guy who sleeps around is often admired & bragged about because of the notches on his belt...but I believe that God says this about guys who interact in sexual acts...
1. You are a thief...you stole (virginity) something that did not believe to you. It was meant for a future husband as a gift for that girls wedding night.
2. You are a possible a compliance to murder...if you get the girl pregnant and she aborts that child then you hands are now dipped in blood.

• So, Ladies & Gentlemen…how does this make you feel about your sexual escapades in life?

SO, WHY IS PURITY SO IMPORTANT?

Psalm 18:20-21 . . . The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he compensated me because of my innocence. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil.

Psalm 24:3-6 . . . Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord’s blessing and have right standing with God their savior. They alone may enter God’s presence and worship the God of Israel.

Matthew 5:8 . . . God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.

2 Timothy 2:21 . . . If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for his purpose.

Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
• Purity in the Christian life shows an absence of sin.
• While we can never be fully free of sin in this life, we can strive for that.
• God honors those who strive for pure hearts because it demonstrates a sincere commitment to be like Jesus.

HOW CAN MY HEART AND MIND BE PURE?

Psalm 51:6, 10 . . . You desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being. . . . Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 86:11 . . . Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, that I may honor you.

1 Timothy 1:5 . . . The purpose of my instruction is that all the Christians there would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and sincere faith.

1 Peter 1:22 . . . Now you can have sincere love for each other as brothers and sisters because you were cleansed from your sins when you accepted the truth of the Good News. So see to it that you really do love each other intensely with all your hearts.

Philippians 4:8 . . . Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

James 3:17 . . . The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure.
• When God forgives us he looks at us as pure.

HOW CAN MY BODY BE PURE?

1 Corinthians 6:13, 15 . . . Our bodies were not made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. . . .Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ?

Ephesians 5:1, 3 . . . Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.

WHAT IF I HAVE NOT BEEN LIVING A PURE LIFE?

1 Corinthians 1:30 . . . God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. . . .He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom.

Hebrews 9:14 . . . Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our hearts from deeds that lead to death so that we can worship the living God.

1 John 1:9 . . . If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.

Psalm 51:2, 7 . . . Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Hebrews 10:22 . . . Let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
• Christ saves us from any and all sin.
• Seek repentance from God from your sins, and experience the freedom of a forgiven heart.

PROMISE FROM GOD:

Psalm 51:7 . . . Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Why a Life Collapses

2010-08-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

The dam broke! Those are words no one wants to hear if they live downriver from a dam. But that's exactly what happened near some small towns in southeast Missouri. It was just before daybreak when a dam on Taum Sauk Lake collapsed, sending a billion-gallon torrent of water streaming down the mountain and washing away homes and vehicles. When inspectors began to probe the reason for the collapse, they were dumbfounded by what they discovered. Instead of the granite that was assumed for decades to be the main material keeping the water in the reservoir, they found that the broken portion appeared to consist entirely of soil and small rock. The breach occurred when an automated system mistakenly pumped too much water into the reservoir. But the reason for the disaster was a dam that was made of material that couldn't stand the pressure.

I've seen lives collapse like that dam did. When the pressure was on, they folded. Not so much because of the pressure, but because their life was built from materials than couldn't stand the pressure. Sometimes it was a flood of temptation, sometimes a flood of bad news and tragedy, sometimes getting hammered by spiritual attacks. But whatever it was, it showed that whatever they were building their life on was not strong enough to stand the test.

Since none of us wants to be the one who caves in, we need to hear what Jesus had to say about how to be a storm-proof, flood-proof person. It's in Luke 6:46-49!

Did you catch what's the same and what's different about the person who withstands the storm and the person who is brought down by it?

Both of them hear what Jesus says.
They both know what the Bible says, but the survivor does what he knows Jesus says.
The "collapser" knows it but doesn't do it.
Each new day, anchor yourself to something God says to you in His Word as you spend time with Him, and then immediately make what He says the governing factor in your day.
In other words, open His book and ask two questions: "What is God saying here, in my own words?" and then "What am I going to do differently today because He said it?"

Unfortunately, too many of us try to build our relationship with Christ on dirt and stones.

We're event Christians, living from one Christian event to the next.
Like a drug addict, we live from high to high with long stretches of spiritual wilderness in between.
We depend on other believers to be our strength.
We govern our Christian life by our feelings and our surroundings rather than by the words God has said to us.
Not even a child can go on depending indefinitely on someone else feeding him. Eventually, he's got to learn to feed himself.
Maybe you keep stumbling because you've been depending on others to feed you and you can't be with them all the time.
You have to start feeding yourself from God's Word each new day if you want to be strong for the storms.

Christian meetings, Christian people, Christian feelings, and Christian environments - they're all good, but they're not enough to build a life on. Christ has got to be your identity, your strength, your passion. Learning and obeying and leaning on what He says must be how you live each day. You don't have to keep caving in when the pressure hits if you'll build your life on the storm-proof, flood-proof words of Jesus, the Rock.

It's Been a Year, Already?

2010-08-11T05:56:00.000-07:00

This Saturday (14^th) will officially mark one year since we arrived here in Virginia. For us to take this journey in which we have embarked on has been filled with joy, happiness, hardship, pain, suffering and sometimes questions that seem to have no answers. In each case though we have held our heads high in confidence that we are in obedience to what God is doing through our family.

Leaving Alabama was a very difficult decision for us that we sincerely faced with a heart that only sought to seek the purpose that God has in store for us. Many of our family members struggled with our decision, as well as we did in the beginning. But, looking back now we are more confident today than we were the day I received the call to consider Virginia. For many of our closet family members and friends the idea of taking our three children so far away was so devastating that some failed to understand our motives. I am glad to say that over the past year those individuals have come to realize that both Kristi and I seek to be obedient to the call that God has placed on our lives. We don’t have a job, we serve God and in that everything we do makes perfect sense.

Saying goodbye to our families and friends was very difficult. However, for me personally it was also leaving the place of employment that I grew at. The relationships that I had established over the years mean so much to me. The leadership, knowledge and wisdom that were imparted to me as an employee affected me in ways that I could never forget and because of those moments I find myself daily thinking of the many individuals and praying for them.

It truly has been a wonderful year. We love the area and believe that it is one of the most beautiful places on the earth. The people have been so good to us and helped us in so many ways. We have built some great relationships and friendships that we are cherishing through the days. Although, I keep reminding everyone up here that I am truly southern and that they are just trying to be.

Since arriving here and establishing the vision we are engaged in, we have seen growth and continue to do so in the student ministry. But, not only has the student ministry grown he entire body here at Greenway has as well. We had to start an early morning service on Sunday to help with the seating problem that we were having. Currently we are looking at plans to build a new sanctuary within the next 2-5 years. God is GREAT!

With each day we have found joy and we have faced a lot of up hill battles. As I type this I do seek your prayers also. We still have a house in Alabama that desperately needs to sell. If this house can sell, then we will be able to pay off our debt that we are trying to maintain at the moment. Please do not think that I am trying to whine over debt, but with the move we took a substantial loss in the amount of money that I bring home to take care of our family. However, if our house did sell for the amount that we have asked then we could pay off our bank that has the loan on the house and with the rest; we could settle all of our debt. It’s not that our debt is overwhelming it’s just the fact that with what we bring in each month is often a struggle to make ends meet. Please be in agreement with us that our house in Alabama will sell, quickly!

One final prayer request…in order for us to make trips back to Alabama it requires a lot of finances that we are not able to meet. I ask you to pray that God will continue to open doors for us to speak at churches, preach revivals, teach at conferences, etc. If we are asked to do these things at locations that are close to Fort Payne, Alabama this will enable us to help cover the cost of travel. When I am asked to preach at another church I make sure that everyone knows that I do not have a set fee. All that I ask is that they cover our gas, hotels and food (while at the church event).

We have been blessed with some of our family and friends making the journey to us here and we look forward to more coming as the days go by. You are very special and important to our family. We deeply cherish your love, friendship, thoughts and prayers!

A Familiar Warning, but what does it actually mean?

2010-08-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

It seems that after every move of God we hear the same warning over and over again...Don't get so heavenly minded that you are no earthy good & don't get so earthly minded that you are no heavenly good? We got to remain balanced. I agree that we need to remain balanced, but why is it that when things start to appear different that what we have always done; it’s then we hear this warning & yet when things are complacent we never hear anything about balance? So this got me thinking & in the process I wanted to see exactly what does it mean to be balanced. We all need to be reminded that we are a work in progress and God is not finished with us yet (Eph. 2:10). Because of this we must be reminded that all truth is God’s truth wherever it’s found, the Scripture is the final authority for wholeness.

Christ is:
1) the Second Adam
2) the sinless/perfect man
3) we’re to follow His personal example.
Luke 2:52 says: Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.

Jesus grew:
1) psychologically
2) physically
3) spiritually
4) socially

Jesus grew in relation to:
1) Himself
2) God the Father
3) others

People function as God has designed and intended them to function. This is why we are the branches. We can only produce what the source of our connection is. When we study God's Word we can be surprised to learn that it’s only when individuals are in good physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual condition that they can be said to be balanced. Consider the following...Can you be mentally, emotionally and socially healthy without being spiritually healthy? Can you function the way God intends without being rightly related to Jesus Christ? No!

The Bible uses several terms to describe this:
1) Old Testament: Shalom – peace, which means may you experience all of God’s blessings.
2) New Testament: Rapha – describes the process of healing and God is the healer.
3) Jesus is described as the great physician (balm in Gilead) who heals our sin-sick souls.
4) Solomon connects our emotion health to our physical health. “A cheerful heart is a good medicine” (Prov. 17:22a). On other hand, guilt over wrong doing adversely affects our physical, spiritual, relational and emotional health.
5) The apostle John links our overall well-being to our spiritual vitality: I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well (3 John 2). A healthy person results in a healthy lifestyle and healthy relationships with God, him/her self and others.
6) The biblical view of health can be summed up in the word: blessed.
7) The “blessed life” is described by David is the Psalms and Jesus by in the Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12).

OK, so exactly how do you know if your life is out of balance? Here’s a very simple way to identify imbalance: if we love anyone or anything more than God our lives are out of balance.

Why is biblical balance so important?
1) Biblical truth pushed too far in either direction can become a heresy.
2) Anything displacing God’s rightful place in our lives can become an idol. Even things that are good in themselves can become idolatrous – including spouse and children if we love them more than God.
* Psychological
* Physical
* Social
* Spiritual dimensions of living.

One way to increase your balance is to find your weakest area and expand or grow in that weakness. God is not so just concerned with your “soul”; He’s concerned with every aspect of your being which includes the following:
1) Physical: Proper Rest, Nutrition, Activity (Work, Exercise and Recreation)
2) Psychological: Mental (Truthful), Emotional (Loving), Volitional (Obedient)
3) Relational: Family (spouse, children), Friends (including church), and Co-Workers.
4) Spiritual: Trusting and obeying God, knowing Christ and making Him known.

Maintaining biblical balance is a lifelong challenge (involving negative consequences) and a life enhancing task (involving positive results). We also need to be aware of the twin dangers of: 1) extremism in one hand and 2) over-reaction on the other! Extremism, caused by a lack of biblical balance, involves the tendency of some to go to extremes with what one believes or practices or teaches others. It is very much the problem of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time. One of their stated goals was to live the letter of the law to very best of their ability. But this religious extremism caused them to become unbalanced and displeasing to God. Let’s not think that this danger is insignificant or one with which only the Pharisees struggled. It is a problem for some people today.

Look at what Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:23-24 and Matthew 23:27-28:
Matthew 23:23-24 – Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
Matthew 23:27-28 – Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

We use words like "radical" and the "complacent" to describe the two extremes: These are not always the proper terms, for there’s no accepted definition to go by. Usually we define these terms: liberals and conservatives based on our own subjective and personal perspective. Someone who is looser than we are is often viewed as being liberal: someone who is stricter than we are is conservative. The fact is that, “You can fall off the log on either end,” so beware of the two extremes. As Evangelical Christians we will often to try and not to be so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good and not so earthly minded that they are no heavenly good. But, when we concentrate on that mindset we often miss what God is trying to teach or grow us in that season. We are progressive in that there is always room for improvement and they want to improve. We often find ourselves being very conservative in that that we want change based upon the true and unchanging values in God’s Word.

We need to be less concerned with what others think and more concerned with what God thinks.
If God’s position on something is conservative, that needs to be our position, regardless of where others stand. If God’s position on something is liberal, that needs to be my position, regardless of where others stand. We need to be open to the idea that both extremes: the radical right and ultra left may both be wrong. We need to balance the whole Word and will of God, rather than over-emphasizing one aspect of it. Being Radical & being complacent can be frequently the root cause of both 1) false doctrine and 2) discord and division, therefore, let’s beware of the potential dangers involved. Over-reaction to what is taking place within the Kingdom can ofter be very similar to extremism, except here we’re talking about how people react to things and not just how they act on their own accord.

1. Over-reactions come in response to something that someone else does in which we are not accustomed to or recognize.
2. Over-reactions often come in the guise of repairing a false teaching or division.

Repairing a false doctrine: If a Church promoted a works oriented salvation, it’s possible to over-react and advocate “cheap grace” – a faith that is not preceded by repentance or followed by fruit, obviously both of these approaches are wrong. Repairing discord or division: In an effort to promote unity, some have decided that it does not matter about doctrine. If truth matters, doctrine (teaching) matters! If a parent is too permissive in discipline, the other parent may over react by becoming too strict. We recognize that balance is the key, with our eye always fixed on the Word and will of God, determined to know and practice those things that are both: true and loving. Balance keeps things in perspective: Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.

We need balance in our lives, but we need to be open to where the balance is needed the most during that time/season?
1. First of all, we need balance between the different dimensions of our lives:
a) Psychological
b) Social
c) Spiritual
d) Physical
e) Vocational
2. We need psychological balance between the: Mind, Will and Emotions
3. We need balance in our physical lives: Rest, Exercise, Work and Recreation.
4. We need balance socially: family vs. friends; believers vs. unbelievers, etc.
5. We need balance in Christian doctrine: a truth pushed too far is heresy.
6. We need balance in our intake of God’s Word.
7. We need balanced prayer: adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication
8. We need balance in Christian discipleship: being a disciple and making disciples.
9. We need balance between worship (intake) and work – ministry (output). “If your output exceeds your intake, then your up keep will be your down fall.”
10. We need balance between biblical faithfulness and cultural relevance.

What about moderation?
1. Love God first and foremost: with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
2. Zeal for the things of God – maintain your spiritual fervor.
3. Wholeheartedness – Whatever your task, do it for God with all your heart.
4. Listen and speaking – be quick to hear and slow to speak.
5. Confidence in God – everything God does in worthy of our trust, even if we don't understand or recognize what is going on.
6. Commitment to God – in all your ways trust and acknowledge God.
7. Communion with God – apart from Christ we can do nothing.
8. Discipleship – if we don’t give up all we have we can’t be Christ’s disciple.
9. Hatred of sin – Proverbs says that the fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
10. Our pursuit of wisdom – Proverbs says, above all else, get wisdom!

The Bible teaches that we have a sacred duty to be pro-active about our own self-care. God says: our bodies are the temple of the Spirit and we need to honor God in our bodies.

What do we need to consider in becoming more balanced?
1. What is my weakest link?
2. What principles do I need to learn and implement?
3. What rules am I breaking that I need to follow?
4. When am I going to start in becoming more balanced?
5. What strategies will ensure my success?
6. Where is my life the most out of balance?
7. What is the single most important step that I can take right now?

By beginning with a single strategic step and continuing to improve on a daily basis, you’ll be on your way to becoming a biblical balanced person. One helpful place to begin is to evaluate where you are right now.

Here are just a few of the essential principles for balance:
1. Offering and asking forgiveness – Ephesians 4:32; Acts 24:16
2. Living a joy filled life –John 10:10 and 15:11
3. Healthy and loving relationships – John 13:34, 35; Romans 12:16
4. Personal spiritual well-being – 3 John 2
5. Developing a grace-based self-concept – Romans 12:3; 2 Corinthians 5:7
6. Discovering God’s purpose for your life – 2 Corinthians 5:15

Just as a Church needs to be committed to becoming balanced as possible, so does the Christian. We all aspire to be both biblical faithful and culturally relevant. We don’t want to be so heavenly minded we are no earthly good and… We don’t want to be so earthly minded that we are no heavenly good. We must be reminded that even though our worship may become radical or extreme at moments...it is a part of the balance that we need in our lives. We can not depend on the same thing in which we did yesterday to maintain on life in balance. And then in the moments of radical worship, devotion, prayer, etc....here will be moments in which we are complacent in order to be balanced. We can not strive to live in comfort and call it balance. At the same time we can not strive to live in the radical and call it balance. There will always be moments of both and yet we can find balance in each. The problem is really in us as individuals. Because we are unfamiliar or not comfortable with one or the other, we immediately believe that we are getting out of balance. Either side you find yourself on, we must remain open to what God is doing during that season.

I believe that revival has often had the opportunity to be birthed in many places, but because we don't recognize it & we place our focus on being "balanced" we end up cutting revival off. You and I are not always going to recognize what God is doing, but we must always strive to be open to what HE is doing so that we don't miss it! No one ever achieves perfect balance in this life time, as we understand this biblical principle and seek to follow the example of Jesus Christ in the way He matured and developed (In wisdom and stature and favor with God and man – Luke 2:52) we’ll become better adjusted, more well-rounded and enjoy the kind of life that John described in: John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Keys to living a Balanced Life:
Attitude: choose and display Christ like attitudes daily. (Phil. 2:5)
Priorities: determine and act upon biblical priorities daily. (Matt. 6: 33)
Family: communicate and care for my spouse/children daily. (Josh. 24:15b)
Thinking: practice and develop good (Godly) thinking daily. (Phil. 2:5; Isa. 55:8-9; 2 Cor. 10:5)
Commitment: make and keep proper commitments daily. (Matt. 9:29)
Finances: make money ethically and biblically manage money daily. The only reason that you have a lot of money is so that you will be missions minded in order to finance what God is doing in the Kingdom.
Faith: deepen and live out a vital Christian faith daily.
Relationships: initiate/invest in loving relationships daily. (Prov. 18:24)
Values: embrace and practice biblical values daily. (Eccl. 12:13-14)
Growth: make daily progress in the sanctification process. (2 Pet. 3:18)

Final Thoughts...I realize that we are never going to agree on everything, but often we must be slow to speak about "balance" and sit back in order to see if God is moving in a way in which we are not familiar with. When Jesus arrived the Jews did not recognize that the Messiah was standing before them because He came in a manner in which they did not "think" He should have. It is my prayer that God give us wisdom in our daily decision making and may He give us the desire and power to grow and develop in a way that is pleasing to Him...it's the only way that we can be Balanced Biblically!

Thoughts on Empowered

2010-08-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday morning and the thoughts of what took place during the student conference still consume my mind. I find myself so focused on making sure that we don't get wrapped up in looking back and talking about what happened in so much so that we fail to keep moving forward in with had God has purposed in HIS Kingdom. This conference has meant so much to me personally for the countless hours of prayer and preparation that was put into this conference. To overlook what God was during during the services where very humbling and rewarding.

I am grateful for everyone who put hours of hard work to make this possible. The time that so many people put into the conference may have gone unnoticed to our guests, but they were not unseen by me and many others. I could not even begin to name everyone who had a hand in the transformation and leg work throughout the entire week without leaving someone out.

So, now we are face with the opportunity to keep pressing into what God has in store for this region. It is now our responsibility to get deeper into HIS word, pray, seek & worship with an increased passion/zeal to develop our personal relationship with Christ in order to equip the Kingdom of God! My heart yearns to go from glory to glory and not service to service. Personally, I found myself being wrecked with some areas of my own life that is going to require me to step out of the way in order for God to grow me! Although a challenge...I receive this with a smile.

The Great Debate

2010-07-22T05:28:00.001-07:00

Over time I have heard different men of God say something about worship. Each comment was directed at the form/style of worship that we are engaged in within the Kingdom of God. Some like the Hymns and others like the Contemporary. The problem seems to come with a great divide between generations. Each person directed how the older generation needs to get in their & worship with the younger generation (along with their style of music). Also, the younger generation needs to get into the worship of the older generation (with their style of music).

It is something that has been bothering me for sometime, but with the topic being raised more and more recently, it began to shake me internally. It has bothered me because we have created the Hymnals versus the "Youth Thing". The Hymnal Generation doesn't understand the Younger Generation and often just write it off as a "Youth Thing". Then comes that Younger Generation who writes off the Hymnal Generation as just not getting it.

Wherever you stand...it's a problem!

For me personally, I found myself having absolutely NO desire to hear "When the roll is called up Yonder", "I'll Fly Away", and much more. Now, I admit that I like a lot of the old hymns, but they are few & they must be scriptural correct (reality is, many aren't and yes this goes for Contemporary too!). I want to hear Rick Pino, Eddie James, Jason Upton, Misty Edwards, Hillsong, etc. Get the picture?

I don't like seeing a worship set list. I often find myself asking, where is God allowed to move if we are so programmed by a formatted schedule. I try to be very obedient and available for the Spirit of God to do what HE directs.

So, I found myself gripping & complaining to God about all the problems of why I couldn't worship on Sunday morning the way that I do on Sunday nights at our Student Service. I told God how we had so much more freedom on the nights of the Student Service & I found myself advertising that to many others.

In the midst of my complaints I heard God ask me this..."If I placed you in the jungle could you worship?" And then it hit me. In the jungle, in the desert or even in the wilderness I possibly couldn't find the Rick Pino, Eddie James or Hillsong worship songs. I possibly couldn't even find the Hymnals either. What would I do? Could I actually worship God in the middle of no where without my top 10 favorite worship songs/artist? Would I worship Him the way that I do on Sunday nights in the middle of the jungle?

(John 4:21-24 NLT) Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Fear (Godly Fear) gripped my heart! The above scripture came to my mind and I noticed something I hadn't paid attention to before. First, notice that geography should not mean anything. This goes for Morning, Evening or Student Services! Second, the statement rang in my heart..."know very little about the one you worship". Is this true Lord? Has my worship been false? Has my worship been based on performance or style? The fact that God is looking spoke to me in a manner of realizing that we are often only doing half of the requirement. Spirit & Truth...in my efforts to be "Spirit-Led" I have discovered there is often very little Truth. So, in our "Spirit-Led" worship we are only 1/2 right, which means we are still in error!

My worship should not be based on a certain service, a certain song, a certain style, a certain format or even a certain artist. Our worship has got to be based on our relationship with the Father! This means that I should be worshipping with the same purpose & intense that I do on Sunday nights (student service) during the Sunday morning or Wednesday evening services (this also includes at home, work, revivals, conferences, etc.).

In the middle of my complaints of why I can't, I realized that with every problem I have had with music is not really the problem. I am the problem! I should not let anyone, any event, any song/style effect my worship. Even though it may be something that I necessarily don't enjoy, those are the moments that I need to pursue God's presence even more. Instead of giving up & going away frustrated with the format...I need to seek God even more. I need to be an example of seeking God above the music or the song!

Here is Love - (Click title to hear this 1904 Hymn from Welsh Revival)

For His Glory!

2010-07-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

It's now been two days since we have been back from Fresh Oil New Wine Students & as I begin to write I realize how close it is to Empowered. Which is the reason for me writing again. The Word that was spoken, the worship & the Presence that we were engaged in at FONWS was so intense that it has literally left me in a state of awe. My mind is consumed with thousands of thoughts & seems to be going in just as many directions. To spend so much time over the past weekend doing nothing but soaking in HIS presence were worth their weight in gold!

And NOW, Empowered is quickly approaching. I am consumed day & night with what is stirring in my spirit concerning God's purpose during the conference. What is so encouraging is the fact that not only do I realize God is pouring into me, HE is doing so in others. Much to my surprise I have received many messages, phone calls & even personal visits since returning with what God is speaking into the lives of others concerning the conference. Man, it is some powerful stuff guys!

I encourage everyone to continue to pray, fast & seek God's purpose over the next few days as the conference quickly approaches. If you have anything that God is sharing with you & feel as though we need to be notified, please contact us. With much love & anticipation!!!!!

FONWS - Day One

2010-07-16T04:23:00.000-07:00

Last night was the opening service for Fresh Oil New Wine Students & I believe that God did some major work on many students, but with excitement I saw what HE was doing in our students. It was exciting to see our students impacted so strongly with God's presence! Not only in our students but also in our adults as well.

Last night was a great night to start things off. Personally I was extremely blessed with one of the most powerful demonstrations that I have ever seen. What Pastor Chris shared last night was powerful and I realized that the demonstration would forever remain in the minds of everyone.

Indeed we are looking forward to what today has in store!

It's Time!

2010-07-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

My anticipation level is very high at the moment. We leave this Thursday for Fresh Oil New Wine Students and then Empowered will be here within 2 weeks after FONWS. I am looking forward to what is about to be poured out and into so many students/individuals. Honestly, I am beside myself for what I am feeling in my spirit at this moment.

The great thing about it all is what is taking place before we leave for Hixson & the conference here. We are heading to Crossroads Community Church tonight to share some of our personal testimonies concerning our personal relationships with Jesus. Tomorrow night we will be at Agape Christian Church, where I get to share the Word during their student service.

I am convinced that God is positioning this area for an awakening that will forever alter our history in this region, but with a global impact. There is going to be a shift in this region that will affect our capitol and for once the east will set into motion a transformation in which the west will follow. The standard has normally been, whatever California does the rest of the nation follows. It's time for change!

I am surprised that I am surprised!

2010-07-08T04:28:00.000-07:00

Officially we are only a few days away from our trip to Fresh Oil New Wine Students and Empowered Student Conference. Naturally with both of these events coming up, I am stoked about what the unlimited possibilities are with God's presence. In all honesty I am constantly thinking about Empowered and what God is speaking into my spirit. Lately I have been consumed with thoughts concerning the student conference. I can't get the event out of my mind. Naturally some of my thoughts are dealing with the last minute details that have to be taken care of, but mostly my thoughts are dealing with my role in the conference.

With that said, I found myself listening to someone share some disturbing news with me last night. So, I go to bed with it on my mind and I awake with the same thoughts on my mind. And only minutes before I began to share some thoughts this morning I was still dwelling on the news. Then it hit me...I am surprised that I am surprised. Concerning the news I am a little surprised that this caught me off guard so much. I shouldn't be surprised for two reasons.

#1 - People (particular people) are just that...people

#2 - This is nothing more than a distraction placed before me as a weapon from the enemy of God & myself

With that stated I am encouraging myself and others who may read this...the enemy will choose the perfect weapon against us during the time in which we are more subject to give in. However, because we can not give in due to our ability to live victorious through Christ...NO Weapon Formed - WILL NOT PROSPER!

Another Beginning

2010-07-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

Well once again I find myself on the journey of an official blogger. I once had a different blog that I kept up with, but over a period of time I found myself never updating anything or being blessed with the opportunity that the Internet gives individuals. So here I am again. This time around it is a new name, new blog & hopeful another chance to give some readers new material to overlook.

I hope to do a better job this go around with sharing what is on my heart/mind or maybe I will consider posting some of my notes that I have written for past messages. Believe it or not I have had some people actually want some of my notes (this is where you can laugh if you choose to).

Anyhow, it is my prayer that something good for the Kingdom of God can come from this blog.

In Christ,