Episodes
Sunday Jun 21, 2020
Show Us The Father - Sunday June 21, 2020
Sunday Jun 21, 2020
Sunday Jun 21, 2020
“Show Us the Father”
JESUS Series Week 3
John 14:6-11 (KJV)
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
Today we are going to look at a discussion that Jesus has with Phillip when they were wanting to know how Jesus was going to solve everything that was wrong in their world.
Jesus often spoke of “the Father” because the people with whom He was speaking could not understand how a human being could come from God. So when Jesus in human flesh is referring to the Father – He is talking about the Almighty, Eternal, OmniPresent Spirit that we know is God! That Spirit was what overshadowed Mary, that Spirit is what filled and directed Jesus through life on Earth and that Spirit is the same spirit that we receive when we are filled with the Holy Ghost – and it is that Spirit that will raise us up whether dead or alive to be with Him for eternity!
Jesus explains to Phillip – that if you have seen the person of Jesus Christ…You have seen the Eternal Spirit of God because they are one and the same!
Like Colossians 2:9 says,
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Jesus had already explained to some Jews in John 10:
30 I and my Father are one.
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Phillip says – Show us the Father…
Jesus says – I already have.
The Jews couldn’t understand how a MAN could be GOD
Jesus said -if I don’t do the WORKS of GOD, and you have no evidence or proof that what I am doing is a GOD THING – then don’t believe me – BUT… If I do the WORKS OF GOD and you have evidence and proof that what I am doing is A GOD THING – then believe me!
Our world wants to see a better way…
They want to see GOD…the HOPE beyond this life!…
1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (KJV)
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
Keep in mind that what Jesus told Phillip was accurate – when we see Jesus – we are seeing the only image of the invisible God.
Colossians 1:15-18 (ESV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by[a] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
We know that GOD IS LOVE – Jesus showed us that…in everything He did and every word He said… He was the visible display of LOVE for all to see!
He showed us that God hears and answers prayers – in the many times He healed, delivered, raised from the dead…and even in the delays or seeming denials…He heard and answered!
In one of the parables Jesus spoke He SHOWED us the FATHER and the LOVE OF THE FATHER…it is usually called the Parable of the Prodigal Son (also known as the parable of the Two Brothers, Lost Son, Loving Father, or of the Forgiving Father). I think of it as the parable of the Prodigal (Extravagant) Father!
We spend lots of time and energy discussing the relevance of the brothers..and their actions and reactions – but the focus the whole time is THE FATHER! Jesus was showing the LOVE of the GOD through this illustration of the EXTRAVAGANT (Prodigal) FATHER! I believe Jesus was showing us that GOD loves all of us…and wants all of us to be with HIM in the house…but even though His Love for us is EXTRAVAGANT – ultimately…we CHOOSE whether or not we will be “in the house”!
The parable of the two sons (another parable Jesus tells that directly mentions a father) – has much the same message. One son eventually does the will of his father, the other just claims to…but never does!
GOD GIVES ALL OF US THE OPPORTUNITY – IT ALL COMES DOWN TO OUR CHOICE!
Our World is in desperate need right now. They need to SEE GOD in us! They don’t even understand their need for us to SHOW THEM THE FATHER!
We need someone to step up and give clear direction for children and families in this time that we live in. It’s kind of like our society is saying, SHOW US THE FATHER – and we will be ok!
Church, that is exactly what our world needs. Not someone to be a champion for social justice, not an insurgent or protest rally leader, not a political figure…
This world needs us to SHOW THEM THE FATHER!
They need to see God!
We cannot fix them or what is broken. We can only show them GOD! The choice they make about Him is up to them..but we have to be Jesus to this world. GOD is LOVE, and that is what our world needs like never before!
Not just Love, but GOD’S LOVE!
When we show God’s Love – we are showing them the Father!
How can we show God’s Love this week?
- By praying for them to return to the Father
- By going out of our way to show love and kindness
- Being careful about what we say and post…
- In being there when they are ready to talk/pray.
- Treating everyone the same way…without prejudice
- Welcoming them with joy and excitement when they return
Have you made your choice today? Do you want a Barabbas Life or a Jesus Life?
Today if you will turn from sin, and turn to God – you will receive the peace that only Jesus can give you!
If you will be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ – all the sins and mistakes of your past will be washed away never to be held against you again.
God will fill you with His Spirit and you will have peace that passes any human understanding.
The choice is yours today. Will you get caught up in all the chaos, tension and trouble – or will you choose peace in your life – by choosing GOD!
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
Lose Your Mind - MIND SET Series Pt 4
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
Wednesday Jun 17, 2020
Lose Your Mind
“Mind Set” – Part 4 (Lose Your Mind)
Text: Philippians 2:5 / 1 Corinthians 2:14-16
Philippians 2:5 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Get the Mind of Christ, lose the old way of thinking
In order to find your mind in Christ, you first have to TURN TO GOD, and turn away from your old way of doing things. Realizing that there is more to life than what you have currently found, you take a step of faith by Repenting of Sin and Turning to God, then you are baptized in Jesus’ Name to wash away the stains from the past, and God will fill you with His Spirit – the Gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the prerequisite to having the Mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.
Romans 12:1-3
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Ephesians 4:17-24
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Lawrence Peter said, “Since the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, does that mean only left-handed people are in their right mind?”
“Yogi” Berra (1925-2015) quipped, “Ninety percent of the game is half mental.” In his book, Berra took credit for this one. This quotation is also sometimes rendered as: “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Luke 10:27 “So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
Get a FOCUSED MIND – Filling your mind with Christ
Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Beware, the god of your imagination is an imaginary god. The Christ of your imagination is not the Christ of the Bible. Make certain you believe on the Jesus of the Bible.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Psalm 119:15-16, 97 “I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. . . . Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”
Chris Kleyn shares the following: “To many Christians think the Bible is like a software license. They don’t actually read it. They just scroll to the bottom and click ‘I agree’.”
Paul exhorts Timothy, his son in the ministry, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
We have got to LOSE our carnal mind, and fill our mind with Jesus Christ DAILY!
Dr. Walter A. Elwell explains, “By studying the Bible we get to know who God is and what he is like. The Scriptures include over 15,000 references to God and a thorough study of those passages alone could change our lives. So why don’t we take 10-15 minutes a day minimum? Cause the enemy keeps you distracted and you aren’t redeeming the TIME you have!
We should also study the Bible in order to test out what we believe. The world is filled with false ideas about God and His purposes for us. So when we hear someone stating what God’s will is, we ought to check it out for ourselves in His Word, and then reject what is false and keep what is true.
Finally, we need to study the Bible in order to grow spiritually as it encourages us to love and serve God and others, calls our attention to our own sin, and helps us live like Christ.”
The Bible is a Him Book, it is all about Him, Jesus Christ!
Remember the acronym GIGO—garbage in garbage out.
Whatever you feed your mind will fill your mind.
Fix your mind on Christ.
Philippians 2:5 – “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:5-8 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Here is what Having the Mind of Christ looks like:
When you have the mind of Christ you have a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
When you have the mind of Christ you have a sober mind.
1 Peter 1:13 – “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
There was a popular song once that said, “. . . whiskey river take my mind”? Do you know what? It will!
Ephesians 5:18 – “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”
We must ask the Lord to take our carnal mind, and give us His mind everyday.
We can only follow Jesus, if we have His mind…
1 Peter 2:21 – “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”
The only way to have revival in our community is for the church to have Biblical unity and this is only achieved when all members have the mind of Christ!
“Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Romans 16:17)!
Those without the mind of Christ operating in their life are marked by “. . . envy, strife, and divisions. . .” (1 Corinthians 3:3).
Now is the time for us to LOSE OUR MINDS and take on the Mind of Christ! – There is a mind to reject, a mind to receive, and a mind to renew.
Repentance is a change of mind and heart that leads to a change in direction.
Isaiah 1:18 – “‘Come now, and let us reason together,’ Says the Lord, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 – “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
Philippians 2:5 – “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
To gain His, have you lost your mind?
Tuesday Jun 16, 2020
Peace of Mind - MIND SET Series Pt 3
Tuesday Jun 16, 2020
Tuesday Jun 16, 2020
Peace of Mind
“Mind Set” – Part 3 (Peace of Mind)
Text: Colossians 3:2-5 / Phil. 4:6-9
Colossians 3:2-5 (NKJV)
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
Philippians 4:6-9 (NASB)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all [a]comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is [b]lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, [c]dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
You can’t have a positive life with a Negative mind.
Write out your 2 biggest worries…
Really over exaggerating for some…and others of you are like…you left a lot of things off that list!
So let’s talk about WORRY and the MIND, and how you can have PEACE of MIND!
Your life will always move in the direction of your strongest thoughts. This is good if you have your mind SET on GOD and things above…not so good if you are focused on other things!
Any time you’re: Afraid—Anxious—Worried— It Compounds the issues at hand.
We have a little almond shaped portion in our brain called the — Amygdala —Whenever you are afraid, this is in full alert mode.
Amygdala—Helpful Part of the brain Wired for Survival—Responsible for fear.
When your brain senses Danger— the Amygdala kicks in sending strong doses of Adrenalin to your body!
The Problem is that our Amygdala is not objective
—It is hard wired to protect us.
The Amygdala needs help from Prefrontal Cortex—the Logical part of our brain.
Noise at night—Amygdala tells you, you are Going to die—Prefrontal Cortex reasons what it could be.
Jesus didn’t say: Let your hearts be troubled! (Do not…)
Angel didn’t say: Glory God in highest—Stress/anxiety on earth.
Paul didn’t say: Be anxious about everything!
Phil 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
All we can do now is PRAY?
Why is that our LAST OPTION? It should be our FIRST OPTION!!
Prayer is powerful!
Boldly go before throne grace…
Not only does prayer move the heart of God.
Prayer changes the chemistry in your brain.
A few decades ago—Neurologists believed brain didn’t change after adolescence.
Neuroplasticity — We have learned that our brain is continually changing—thoughts change brain.
Neurotheology — Also known as Spiritual Neuroscience
Studies relationship between: Brain & Belief in God.
Prayer changes brain.
“It has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over an 8 week period can change the brain to such an extent that it can be measured on a brain scan.” Dr. Caroline Leaf author of Switch On Your Brain
Just as toxic—Negative thoughts—Hurt brain.
– Pre-programming us for unhealthy thinking and living
Prayer heals—Renews the MIND –
Romans 12 – Do not be conformed to the patterns, thought processes or the WAYS of this world, but be TRANSFORMED (be MADE DIFFERENT)…how is that possible – by the RENEWING of your MIND!
God’s Word renews your mind, and Prayer Transforms your thinking about God, about reality and about what is and is not possible!
So then, Why do we worry? Panic? Anxiety?
Many different reasons…we are xperiencing an Amygdala Hijack.
Your brain tells you in the middle of the night…that you have to prepare for the worst case scenario…if you don’t the WORST is going to happen to you, to your family, etc…
Neuroscience would tell you it is an Amygdala Hijack…
Paul would say—Mind is dominated by sinful thinking.
What is worry?
Worry is the sin of distrusting the promises and power God?
– It’s saying, God I don’t believe you are good enough to take care of this…I better take care of it without you!
God, I just can’t trust you with this!
Instead of letting my sinful nature control my mind, I will choose to let my brain choose the Truth that the Spirit will direct me to think.
Romans 8:5-6 (NLT)
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
This is why we need to…
Take every thought captive.
So if there is a thought we have that is not consistent with the WORD OF GOD, we take that thought captive and we make it obey and follow what the Word of God tells us! (Obedient to Christ).
When we choose the Word of God…we are allowing the Spirit of God to lead us in our thinking! The Spirit of God is not going to go against the WORD of God.
Prefrontal Cortex grabs the Amygdala and gives every worry to God.
Prayer Box
— STRATEGY —
Do what I can do.
Give God what I can’t do
Trust God no matter what.
Imagine having a true Heart of Peace, Life that is full of Joy, and constantly having true Peace of Mind, because you are totally Trusting in God.
THAT IS possible. And it’s also a choice.
If your life is moving in the direction of your strongest thoughts…Do you like the direction your thoughts are taking you?
If you don’t control what you think
You will never control what you do.
Identify the truth that will MAKE you free from the bondage of fear and anxiety…
Then you —Write it. Think it. Confess. Until you Believe it.
- Jesus First in my life. My purpose is to serve and glorify Him Alone.
- Jesus in me is stronger than my sinful desires.
- I’m getting closer to Jesus every day.
- Because of Jesus, my family is closer, my body is stronger, my faith is deeper, my brain is sharper.
- I am victorious—because the Holy Spirit dwells within me.
- I place my words, thoughts and imaginations under the power of Jesus.
- I am not a hostage to unhealthy thoughts.
- The weapons I fight with are not the weapons of this world. I have divine power to demolish strongholds.
- Worry is not my master. I trust in God alone.
- God’s peace guards my heart, guards my mind, and guards my soul in Christ Jesus.
- I am not a slave to habits. I am not a prisoner to an addiction. I have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the kingdom of God’s light.
You can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you frame it.
Stop interpreting God through circumstances.
Start interpreting your circumstances through goodness of God. (There is a plan, He’s allowing it for a reason).
Cover everything you do in prayer!
Don’t Believe the LIE (anything that is not consistent with God’s Word, anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…anything that would make your worries bigger than your God)
Embrace the TRUTH. Jesus is Truth, His Word is Truth…His Ways are truth…
And the Truth will MAKE you FREE (Free from Fear, Free from anxiety, free from worry…)
Wednesday Jun 10, 2020
STRONGHOLDS - Mind Set Series pt1
Wednesday Jun 10, 2020
Wednesday Jun 10, 2020
“Mind Set” – Part 1 (Strongholds)
Text: Colossians 3:2-5 / 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Colossians 3:2-5 (NKJV)
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Spiritual warfare cannot be fought by just repeating someone else’s actions or phrases; we must understand with our MINDS what we are doing and why we are doing it if we are going to be effective!
Satan has three main weapons against the church:
The most obvious weapon is an active one called SIN.
The second weapon is a passive one called ACCUSATIONS.
Satan is described as the accuser of the brethren (Job 1:6-12, Zechariah 3:1, Rev. 12:10)
Even though Jesus said He would never forsake us (Hebrews 13:5b), Satan screams that we have been forsaken because we are too bad for God to love or use.
Hebrews 13:5b (KJV) for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Hebrews 13:5b (AMP) for He (God) Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let [you] down, [relax My hold on you]. Assuredly not!
Satan uses accusations to generate anxiety strong enough so that we will come out from under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6) – that’s why Peter admonishes us to cast all our care upon the Lord (1 Peter 5:7).
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Satan’s objective is to paralyze us like an animal that has fallen into a trap (1 Peter 5:8-9); we know when this weapon has been successful because despair and fear take over.
The third weapon is the most dangerous because it lies dormant until activated!
The church in general is aware of the first two weapons because of Bible teaching and because their effects – spiritual death or paralysis – are visible motivators to get help.
The third weapon – STRONGHOLDS – is like an unseen landmine waiting to detonate.
Satan’s treacherous character as a deceiver (John 8:44, Rev. 12:9).
The MIND is the access gate Satan uses to get at your spirit!
Ed Silvoso: “A spiritual stronghold is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness that causes us to accept as unchangeable situations that we know are contrary to the will of God.”
- The Bible teaches us to forgive our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48) – it’s a must! If you are incapable of forgiving a particular person, you should suspect a spiritual stronghold in your mind.
- The Bible tells us that he who finds a spouse “finds a good thing” (Proverbs 18:22) and that we are to become one flesh (Matthew 19:4-6). If you are powerless to change your feelings toward your spouse and feel hopeless, then you should suspect a spiritual stronghold in your mind.
- The Bible tells us that we must live holy lives (1 Peter 1:15-16). If you are unable to shake the creeping influence of worldly pleasures and priorities then you should suspect a spiritual stronghold.
- Any time the will of God is clearly spelled out but reality tells a different story in your life and anytime you are powerless to change the reality perceived by your mind and anytime you have accepted defeat because the situation looks hopeless – SUSPECT A STRONGHOLD.
HOW DO HUMAN BEINGS ACT WHEN THERE IS A STRONGHOLD IN THEIR MIND?
Strongholds expose a severe inconsistency between what we SAY and what we BELIEVE.
- We cope with them by erecting a “partition” which separates our mind into two compartments. (1 Corinthians 10:5 – “every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God”)
On one side is the knowledge of God; on the other side is human speculation. A speculation is a conclusion based on an assumption that cannot be proven! - This fragmentation makes us develop what James describes as a “double mind” – instability.
James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. - When such believers are convicted they bail out by using rationalizations to defend themselves.
How can we believe one thing in church and another in the parking lot? A DOUBLE MIND!
THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS THAT A STRONGHOLD HAS
- Trying to believe God for a breakthrough in their church who cannot forgive a past hurt.
- Trying to believe God for a miracle in their city who cannot even enjoy their marriage.
- Trying to believe God for power to witness who do not even have the power to live holy.
AND SATAN SCREAMS, “DON’T YOU DARE BELIEVE IT! LOOK AT YOUR SITUATION!”
When Christians know the will of God and do otherwise, Satan is able to blackmail them.
HOW DO YOU PULL DOWN A STRONGHOLD?
Strongholds are to be destroyed, not just repainted or covered up with wallpaper!
There are four steps to be taken to accomplish this, all given in James 4:
James 4:7-10
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
1. SUBMIT TO GOD.
Determine the will of God by God’s Word, then choose to believe it and to obey it.
Tear down the partition that has allowed you to store two opposing truths in your mind.
2. RESIST THE DEVIL.
The most effective way to resist him is to die to your old self, putting yourself out of his reach.
Quote the Scripture to him: “It is written!”
3. DRAW NEAR TO GOD = AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU.
We need to draw close to Him because our “speculations” have allowed us to drift away.
Cross the threshold of fear and rejection – Jesus promises that He will draw near to you!
4. CLEANSE YOUR HANDS = AND PURIFY YOUR HEARTS.
Our hands refer to the “outward dimension” while our hearts refer to the “inward dimension.”
A stronghold has been destroyed only when a double-minded person becomes single-minded!
LIFEGROUP QUESTIONS:
- Why do some Christian’s behaviors not match up with their spoken beliefs?
- How would you be able to tell if there is a stronghold in your mind?
- What means would you employ to pull down the strongholds in your mind?
Sunday Jun 07, 2020
SON OF MAN - Jesus Series - Sunday June 7, 2020
Sunday Jun 07, 2020
Sunday Jun 07, 2020
“Son of Man”
JESUS Series Week 1
What could our lives look like if we pursued Jesus and sought to know Him more than ever before?
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
N.T. Wright he states, “Modern western Christians are the same: “We want a ‘religious’ leader, not a king! We want someone to save our souls, not rule our world! Or, if we want a king, someone to take charge of our world, what we want is someone to implement the policies we already embrace…But if Christians don’t get Jesus right, what chance is there that other people will bother much with him?”
Let’s start today talking about what Jesus was trying to accomplish when He walked the earth.
What was His objective? Was it just to come and die so that we could live in Heaven with Him for eternity?
Could there have been more to Jesus earthly ministry that we might have missed up to this point?
What it looks like when God takes charge on earth as it is in heaven…
Let’s look at Jesus the SON OF MAN through forgiveness and healing:
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
According to the Gospels it appears that this is one of the first times that Jesus publicly referred to himself as the Son of Man.
Why did He say the Son of Man? Was Jesus trying to identify that He was human, born of the virgin Mary? Or was He referring to the great prophecy in Daniel 7 that was being fulfilled in Jesus the “Son of Man” – vs 14 “was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
In short, Jesus was saying to those who had ears to hear and knew well the prophecies of the coming Messiah…that He was the coming one…and what He was doing was setting up His Kingdom on the earth!
“Forgiveness transforms like nothing else.”
He showed the priority of the Kingdom in that HE FORGAVE FIRST, then HEALED!
Jesus goal in delivering us from SIN and spiritual death is to set up His Kingdom in our lives. Yes, He wants to Heal us, and make us whole…but we will never truly be whole or completely healed if the sickness of sin is allowed to remain. He demonstrates the Kingdom in this forgiveness and healing.
What it meant to the Friends of the Man?
What it meant to the Man?
What it meant to the crowd…
Specifically the homeowner..
APPLICATION
What does it mean for us today…what do we learn about Jesus that maybe we hadn’t thought about before?
- The Kingdom that Jesus was setting up was an everlasting Kingdom…it was establishing things to be on earth just like they were in heaven.
- Jesus healed people, but the forgiveness and separating people from their sins was His main objective.
- Through Jesus today – FORGIVENESS is our primary need. We need to forgive, and be forgiven! Only through forgiveness are we truly FREE!
- If you are paralyzed by fear, anger, frustration or unforgiveness…you need to be in the presence of Jesus.
Saturday Apr 18, 2020
Saturday After Easter Revival - Pastor Paul Pamer - April 18, 2020
Saturday Apr 18, 2020
Saturday Apr 18, 2020
Saturday After Easter Revival - Pastor Paul Pamer - April 18, 2020
On this final night of our cyber revival we are glad to welcome Pastor Paul Pamer from the Apostolic Church of Barberton, Ohio. (https://apostolicchurch.com/) Pastor Paul and his wife Brooke Pamer currently serve as senior pastors of Apostolic Church. Continuing the legacy of leadership by Bishop Emeritus Nelson & Grace Pamer and Bishop Rod & Nan Pamer, their vision is to see continued growth and reach their community. Pastor A.J. & Cathy were at Indiana Bible College the same time as and became friends with Pastor Paul. You will truly enjoy the outstanding preaching of this great man of God. Thank you so much for joining us tonight.
Friday Apr 17, 2020
Friday After Easter Revival - Pastor Raymond Woodward - April 17, 2020
Friday Apr 17, 2020
Friday Apr 17, 2020
Friday After Easter Revival - Pastor Raymond Woodward - April 17, 2020
Tonight we welcome Pastor Raymond Woodward from Capital Community Church in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Pastor Woodward is a well known teacher and preacher who makes an impact in his generation mentoring and leading others to be their best. He speaks to thousands of people every week and is such a necessary voice in the day and times we live in. We know that God is going to speak to us and we will respond. Thank you for joining us.
Friday Apr 17, 2020
Friday Apr 17, 2020
Friday After Easter Revival - Missionaries Luke & Samantha Campbell - April 17, 2020
We are thrilled to have Luke and Samantha Campbell - Missionaries to Costa Rica with us to speak to us tonight. In addition to them speaking, we are sharing one of the worship experiences we had while in Costa Rica in June of 2019 at the Sunday afternoon service in Desemparados. They have a beautiful miracle baby boy named Asher. God is doing incredible things through the Campbells and their ministry. We are so thankful for all their efforts for the Kingdom of God!
Wednesday Apr 15, 2020
Wednesday After Easter Revival - Missionary Lynne Jewett - April 15, 2020
Wednesday Apr 15, 2020
Wednesday Apr 15, 2020
Wednesday After Easter Revival - Missionary Lynne Jewett - April 15, 2020
Tonight we welcome - Missionary Lynne Jewett. Lynne was vital in the the establishment of an orphanage in Guatemala. H.O.M.E. International (A Home for Orphans, Ministry and Education), received their first child in October 2016. HOME is a fully accredited children's home working with Child Protective Services for the abused and abandoned children of Guatemala. This orphanage is very close to Lynne’s heart as she was an orphaned child from New Brunswick, Canada. The Lord has used this ministry to provide a place of healing to every child that steps through the doors of HOME.
Contact Her:
@LynneJewett
@LynneJewettsAdventures
@HomeInternational
http://www.SupportHOMEInternational.com
Sunday Mar 29, 2020
Faithful To Heal and Deliver - March 29, 2020
Sunday Mar 29, 2020
Sunday Mar 29, 2020
Faithful to Heal and Deliver
He Is Faithful
TEXT: Psalm 103:1-4
Psalm 103
A Psalm of David.
Bless the Lord, O my soul:
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psalms 107:19-21
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble,
and he saveth them out of their distresses.
He sent his word, and healed them,
and delivered them from their destructions.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness,
and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
How many known diseases are in the world today?
According to the World Health Organization a few years ago there are at least 14,199 codes for diseases or sicknesses that are know to modern medicine today. One thing you can be sure of is that the list will grow.
Who knows when and where the next infectious disease will show up – and that is very unsettling to us.
In a report a few years ago by the American Medical Association the people who classify diseases, etc…stated that there were 39 general categories for diseases in the world past and present. I found that somewhat interesting because the Bible tells us that Jesus received 39 stripes upon his back – and it also tells us that BY HIS STRIPES we are healed! For every general classification of disease with every sub-classification below it – Jesus already paid the price for the HEALING!
Isaiah 53:4-5 (KJV)
Surely he hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows:
yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities:
the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed.
So the Bible tells us that Jesus was outwardly wounded – for our transgressions. Transgressions are sins that we commit against others, and are usually outward sins. Then the Bible tells us that Jesus was bruised or inwardly wounded for our iniquities. Iniquities are inner sins or hidden sins that are usually not known to anyone else.
When they told Jesus – they said “he whom thou lovest” is sick…and I’m sure Mary and Martha did not understand why Jesus did not just rush right in and save the day. In fact you kind of hear in in their tone with Jesus throughout the conversation in John 11.
Just because Jesus doesn’t respond like we think He should does not mean that He doesn’t love us or that He doesn’t care about what we are going through. That is where our faith and trust in God come in…
I want you to know today that God really does care about you and what you are going through – He is working all things together for good – and He is going to get the glory when all is said and done!
(Jesus) loved me enough to be LATE! Sometimes Jesus does His greatest work in us and through us when all of the “conventional” methods have failed and we are left scratching our heads about why He didn’t perform the way we thought He would!
What issues do you face right now that you want God to “show up” to help you with?
Mark 6:12-13
And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
Until the fall of man in the Garden and sin entering the world – there was NO SICKNESS and no disease.
The good news for everyone of us today is that Jesus Christ can not only heal, but he can also forgive and cleanse us from sin which is at the root of all disease and sickness!
Luke 5 and Mark 2 – Story of the Lame Man
Mark 2:3-12
And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was:and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
If you have sin in your life – you need to REPENT and ask God to forgive you – and you need to be prayed for…we will pray for you. The scripture says that the prayer of faith will save the sick…
Name some things God is dealing with you about right now:
James 5:14-16
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The Pentecostals early last century handled the quarantine of the Spanish Influenza…they obeyed the requests of the government – but they acted in faith and prayed and cared for those who were sick and dying. l believe that we as the people of God need to pray and believe more than ever before – we will see healing, we will see deliverance – In the Name of Jesus through faith!
What are you believing God for right now? What will you step out in faith to receive?
Sunday Mar 03, 2019
Made Possible By Jesus
Sunday Mar 03, 2019
Sunday Mar 03, 2019
Pastor A.J. Dummitt preaches about the things that are Made Possible to Us by the Blood of Jesus from Ephesians 2:11-22. We are his Masterpiece.