A Right Faith, Sermon notes 5-22-11

A Right Faith

Text: Ephesians 1:18-22

The church at Ephesus is west of Galatia, referred to as Asia Minor; near where Greece meets Turkey.

As the second largest city in the Empire, it was a thriving metropolis, populated with a lot of intellectuals. At least a portion of Its importance lay in the fact that it was the intellectual capital of the known world.

This is a good place for Paul to be.

Our faith is based on a "solid rock." There are "espitalogical" principles that we can stand on that will stand the test of time.

We don't have to resort to hocus-pocus, scare tactics or mischief to bring people into the church or into the Kingdom of God.

"I'm not crazy, my faith is based on a solid foundation!" Christianity is not a fringe religion.

We hold on to our faith, not because of Doomsday, but because it is right.

In verse 18, our understanding is illuminated".

In Psalm 27, "The Lord is my light and my salvation..."

Faith is rich, right, required and robust!

Illustration: Summer day, cold root beer poured over cold ice fizzed up and runs over, making it appear that you have more than you started with. Faith is like that.

Faith fills you up, helps you out and keeps you when the days are dark.

Life loses its meaning without the illumination of the transcendent God, who is fully aware of the ugliness of existence and the right-now-ness of need.

God who sits in eternity, knows where we are going, but gives us enough of what we need right now.

Jesus is coming back for the redeemed. Be ready when He comes!

Who are the redeemed? People who have come through the blood of Christ and believe in His name. But, we must be invited.

Illustration: During Prom season, you can't just show up to the dance. You must be invited and have a paid ticket to gain access.

Those of us who are going to the "Big Dance" can invite others to witness and make it in. We should send out as many invitations as we can. We should invite everyone we know to get to know Jesus.

In verse 18, it says, "part of your inheritance is the gospel message and the gospel promise that is to be promoted." You should not be ashamed to chime in when others are talking about Jesus. He is our rock in a weary land, the rock of our salvation; He is a mighty God.

We don't have to resort to scare tactics to get people into the Kingdom.

There are people out there waiting for the right invitation.

In Matthew 22,  we have the tale of the wedding feast. We need to go out into the highways, byways, streets, alleys.

Even though Ephesus was intellectually esteemed, they were soulfully -deprived. They had low spiritual esteem.

In comparing the two churches, Corinth and Ephesus-

1. The Corinthian church was spiritually gifted, and moving in grace according to the Spirit.

2. The church at Ephesus was not particularly spiritually gifted and don't feel that they could stand in the promises that God have given them.

Many of the people in the church find themselves in this same condition- low spiritual esteem. But we must remember in the words of that old song, "Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so."

You (we) are qualified to serve God if we have been redeemed. Paul is trying to lift them up so that they can labor for the Lord.

Ephesus is one of the seven churches that John addresses in The Book of Revelation [link}. He encourages them to continue to lift the Lord, and not buy into feeling less than qualified because that haven't been in "long enough."

Our salvation is rich, not bound to us, but bound to the life of Jesus.

He qualifies us to serve, edifies us, and sanctifies us- by the power that is in HIM!

Verse 19, says that the power is "us-ward". There is a sense direction here, inward, toward us.

Verse 19-20 talks about operation, using the power. Jesus was taken up by the power at resurrection. And, that same power can be sent back down by the Holy Spirit.

We see evidence of this in the Upper Room with the disciples and the birth of the New Testament church in the Book of Acts, as well as other places in the Bible.

Do you want the power that is available to you in God?

Right faith is from the Righteous One, right on time, right on point and right on the money. It is the right way, the bright way to the highway to heaven.

Sermon Notes 5-8-11

Text: 2 Corinthians 6:14


Paul is trying to right the “ship,” get the church at Corinth back on course.

He wants them to reclaim what they previously had.

The Corinthian church had fallen from grace.

This same church had flourished while Paul was their presence, but faded when he was away.

The church which had been growing and vibrant, was falling into disrepair during Paul’s absence.

They had been a wealthy and warn church, moving in the Spirit in the midst of a bustling hub of commerce.

Plutarch says that Corinth was one of three economic centers in the Hellenic world.

The congregation was made up of well-off people.

So, in the midst of a thriving community, we see a hurting church; a church that is failing.

Several weeks ago, we spoke about favor,

Favor falls on the folk that God wants to partner with.

Favor means you have the focused attention of God in your life because He wants to use you.

Favor is focused on a few.

The church in Rome had been walking in favor because they became willing workers for God.

The Corinthians, we are told in the text have yoked themselves to unbelievers. This is the reason they had fallen from favor.

Church work is not hard work, it is right work.

The church should be a place of joy, happiness, moving in one accord; but too often the work is hard, stressful and frustrating.

It should be a place of faith, not frustration.

Paul is trying to help them get back to right work ethic- ethos.

Yoking with unbelievers will cause favor to leave your life.

Paul's metaphor is usually attributed to marriage, but that is not what he is talking about.

Paul is referring to church relationship, community relations.

The Corinthian church had allowed their worldly workers to mix with the holy workers.

They had yoked with people of affluence and influence; people who had agendas other than to glorify God. They worked for other things.

Be careful who you align yourself with.

The Corinthian church had become a faith-sick church.

Paul was explaining to the church, and us, that we must allow Jesus to be yoked with us. He is the one person who must be yoked with us, so that He can lead us "all the way."

Stop trying to worship and work with the weight of the world on us.

A yoke is a harness which is attached to a plow for the purpose of doing work.

When you're trying to get your work done, you need to be hooked up with someone who is moving forward.

Plow the good ground that God has laid before you in your life.

Get out of those rocking chairs and loungers and do something for the Lord.

A yoke is not built for one person, but for two.

Who have you yoked yourself up with today?

Separate from those who are dragging you down.

Matthew 11:29 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Yoke with someone who will walk with you, work with you.

Jesus will be in the yoke with you, so you can work, walk and move together.

When you fall, He will lift you up.

He will lead you along the path.

"Yoke of life is not made for one, it is made for Jesus and you."

We, as the church in Corinth need to get back to faith of trusting in Jesus.

Many of us have too many rocks in our wagon. We drag these rocks with us as we try to do the work of the Lord. Jesus (yoked to you) came to lift and lead.

Personal commentary: Unlike the church at Corinth, we don't have the Apostle Paul to come rushing in to help us right our ship, the church. We need to take a step back and see who and what we have yoked ourselves to. We must continually remind ourselves about Who our ship truly belongs to, and get back to the work we have been sent to do. Ultimately what happens is in God's hands, but we need to be serious about doing our part to get back on the path.

The fact that we are to be yoked to the Lord does not mean that He is going to drag us along.

So...stand up, speak up, take your responsibility, and help right the ship!

[This week's lesson starts tomorrow]

The Favor of a Few / Sermon Notes 5-1-11

Text: Romans 11:1-12

If you are in, or of the Father, or a follower of Jesus, you must wrestle with the question of faith.

We must get a fresh focus on what favor means.

We must learn how to apply favor in and around our lives.

"How many of you need favor?"

Paul is making a provocative proposal to God's people.

The Book of Romans represents the theological lynchpin to the New Testament.

The 10th and 11th chapters, Paul asks, "Is it worth anything to still allow the Jews to be in 'it'?"

The Gentiles have started gaining in prominence in the church, and are looking down on the Jews.

Paul is telling the Gentiles to be patient, prayerful and peaceful with the stubbornness of the Jews.

The Jews have been having some difficulty with the shift in the church.

The past recipients of God's favor are having difficulty with the new "flavor" of God's favor.

The Gentiles ask, "Why should we pray for the past recipients of God's grace?"

Favor, like flavor, can get stale.

Romans 10:2 - the Jews have a zeal of God, but none of God's righteousness. They have fallen out of favor by trying to establish their own righteousness (following the Law)

Favor is not perpetual, it is positional. Favor is based on your position in God, and the willingness to walk with God.

Favor must be re-appropriated on a seasonal basis

Verse 1 asks, has God cast away His people? Has He separated Himself from them? If this is the case, Paul himself would be forced out, as he is a Jew as well.

Favor is fresh and will fall where He wills it.

Favor is not an individual commodity, but a bundled product, a community commodity.

It's not about me, but about "us"

We have examples of people who received favor, but did not use it only for themselves. They shared it, or used it to benefit others.

Abraham- used it to get Lot out of trouble.

Jacob- used favor to allow Laban to get increase in the land.

Joseph- some of his favor fell on the Egyptians, as they prepared for the upcoming famine.

Favor is a community "thing."

What do we do to become qualified? We must be willing to receive God's favor and walk in it.

Favor is a supernatural commodity of God's.

Verse 5- You don't have to receive favor to be in favor.

Just because you are a "good Christian" does not mean that you will always get favor.

We should pray to be near people with favor.

We should stop the "hat-eration"

When someone else goes up, I can go up with them.

I can get next to them, help them, encourage them...

In order to have favor, you need to be bundled with the people receiving favor.

Easter sermon notes: Sunday (April 24, 2011)

We have a tradition at our church for Easter with three speakers, each speaking on one day of the Passion of the Christ. These notes are from the Sunday presentation by our pastor.

Text: John 20:15-7

The work on the cross was a process. It was completed @ 43 days later.

The women went to the Tomb to mummify Jesus’ remains. They were intercepted and interrupted during the process…by Jesus! Jesus is hanging around the Tomb, and He reveals Himself to Mary.

There is a difference between resurrection and ascension. Both are essential in securing our salvation.

The definition of resurrection is being raised to a previous state of being, to a former life. This is not a singular event. There are other examples of resurrection in the Bible. Jesus resurrects a little girl, and Lazarus. Elijah resurrects a little boy.

The body has the ability has the ability to spring back top its former state.

Verse 17, Jesus says, “Touch me not,” meaning don’t cling to me.

We should not cling to former things.

Jesus is not impressed with being raised from the dead; He is rather dismissive.

Jesus didn’t just come back, but He came back better.

Illustration: MC Hammer, “You can’t touch this” (smh)

We should hold on to stuff because of what it used to be. Hold on to what is!

Even though He was great in His ministry, He was greater in His mastery.

In John 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that "you must be born again."

Born again into a new condition.

"I'm not satisfied with what I used to be...I'm pressing on..."

God has cleared Jesus for a higher, exalted place.

Ascension is required....


[FYI: "smh" means shaking my head]

The Condition of Blessing / Sermon Notes 4-3-11

Text: Deuteronomy 33:1-4

We have reviewed the sorrow, suffering and sin that surrounds the life of Moses' life.
Like the rest of us, Moses was imperfect. He had sinned in the sight of the Lord.
God was still able to use him, and this should be encouraging to those of us who are still struggling with some of the issues in our lives.
God is able to lift us out of the miserable condition of our lives if we are able to follow Him.
Moses continued to follow God in the midst of his failures and faults.

Have you determined that you will not quit on God?
Do you feel that the circumstances around your life negate God's blessing?
"God can do great things through me!"
Greatness is accessible to you, and not just to the pastor, the star singers or the star Christians in the congregation.

You never know what God can accomplish through the circumstances surrounding you.
He can use you despite what's happening in your life.
Your condition does not determine where you can go.
This exodus is also an introduction to something new.

What you need to know about blessings:

1. Someone has a hold of your blessing.
Moses was the bless-er; the "giver" of the blessing.
Israel's blessing was passed on by Moses.
Blessings are frequently passed from hand-to-hand.
Some of your blessing is attached to how you handle people down here.
Sometimes your blessings are attached top other people. How we "handle" people may impact how we will be blessed.
Notice that Israel's blessing is horizontal, not vertical.
"Blessings come hand to hand!"
You cannot stand by yourself, on your own, in your own strength, on an island.
"Who in my life is holding on to my blessing."
Blessings may come from your neighbor.
Ten Commandments: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
You should position yourself correctly with people who are going up.
Some blessings are corporate blessings.
"Pass it on!"

2. The word blessing is a participle.
What is a participle? A word that can function as a verb, which shows action. It is also a word that is an adjective, which describes something.
Many of us are still tossed and driven by the circumstances of life.

Blessed people get up in the morning with a purpose in mind.
You need a purpose in life.
The Hebrew word for blessings is barukh, meaning something good. It means you're working on something good.
Blessing is not an emotion.
Blessing means that you have something usable at your disposal.

Moses blessed people with purpose as they enter into the Promised Land.
The promise is that if you work the land, God will allow the increase.

You cannot possess anything you don't purpose to have.
Unless you purpose to possess, the enemy can remove it from you.
The enemy tries to get you to release your hand from what God has given you.

3. Blessing is about position
You need to be positioned for tomorrow.
Where are you posturing yourself so you can run with God?
Where has God placed you in the work of the Kingdom?
Each group going into the Promised Land had a purpose and position according to the plan of God.
God has a blessing place for you to inherit; to have, hold and possess.
We cannot go into the Promised Land unless everyone knows what their position is.
We each need to get into our place and work what God has assigned us!

God has got to uncover some Christians / Sermon Notes 3-26-11

God has got to uncover some Christians


Sermon Notes 3-26-11


Text- Mark 7:2-7

This amazing and awesome ext reveals the work of the Master, Christ.

How does His message have meaning today?

We can see the application of Jesus in the activity of Jesus; Jesus walked His talk.

We find Jesus in northern Jerusalem, and through His ministry He has gained some notoriety and has come to the attention of the Pharisees.

Famous people can attract some infamous things.

The Pharisees are focused on finding Him in a futile attempt at frustrating His followers.

There is contention between the now famous Jesus and the infamous Pharisees, and we can see the work of Christ being accomplished through the Word of God.

The Pharisees are antagonists of Jesus.

As we see in literature, an antagonist is someone who works against the main character. In Shakespeare’s Othello, we have Iago, Ulysses Hector, and Beowulf Grendel.

We must learn not to hate our haters, let our haters become our elevators.

Antagonists always uncover something about the main character that was not known before.

You cannot rise unless you have some haters in your life. They will uncover something about you that you never knew about yourself.

The Pharisees are out of their jurisdiction. They have traveled 75 miles from Jerusalem to focus on Jesus and to bring Him down.

We must learn to pray for those around us because the enemy may attack our followers first, to reach us.

We must place our hope in the Lord; God is not through with us yet. He is just getting started.

The Pharisees catch up with His followers first, so they examine them.

Before the enemy can pull down the pastor, he may work to pull down the associates, deacons, trustees or the ushers. So that by the time the pastor enters into the mix, there is confusion, which can distract us when we need to be concentrating on the enemy.

The enemy is trying to pull down the saints on his way to pull down the Savior.

What’s the lesson? Watch your “head!”

The Pharisees argued with the disciples, saying that they were not following the “old elders,” meaning the old tradition, the law. They were attempting to blame the coach for the conduct of the players.

They are attacking the disciples (and Christ) because they were winning.

We do what we do to win over the lost for Christ! And, whenever we win for God, we will attract the attention of the enemy.

What is a Christian’s definition of winning? To bring souls to the Savior, help to the helpless, calling out the lost and letting them know that Jesus is still real.

We are attempting to build a winning tradition, not continue in the old.

Your pastor is your covering. The duty of the pastorate is not about hiding you, concealing you or shining in front of you.

The duty of the pastor is to build up new leaders and let them lead and go forward! The pastor’s job is to stand in the background and send out the saints.

Illustration: Moses. As he grew tired he had Aaron and Joshua standing on either side of his holding up his arms. Whenever Moses’ arms were lifted, the Israelites were victorious in battle.

Does anyone want to be a winner, an overcomer, be victorious?

The losers have to leave so that the winners can stand up and be counted.

“I’m a winner!”

The pastor is called to be your covering.

The Hebrew concept for covering is found in the word “sakak.” It means to spread around liberally, as in fertilizing a garden. It means to show off with grandeur and praise.

Illustration: moles in the garden. We build a fence around the garden to keep away the moles, but also to protect and show off the flowers.

The pastor is called to reveal, uncover and show off. He is committed and concerned that Christ is on your side. And as your coach, it is the pastor’s job to get you into game shape.

God wants to uncover some new Christians who want to work until the work is done.

Biblical illustrations of uncovering: a) Job uncovered by God, ”consider my servant, Job,” b)Joseph uncovered form the cistern, c) Jesus uncovered from Egypt, d) Paul and Silas, uncovered from prison…

Are you willing to be a witness?

Are you willing to work for the Lord?

Are you willing to win for the Savior?

The Pharisees used the old ways and traditions to cover their deeds.

There are many within the church who know just enough of the Word of God to cover themselves and to keep from being found out.

Let the light from the lighthouse shine. Be ready to shine for Jesus.

Illustration: Will Smith, “old busted, new hotness”

Illustration: The US Treasury destroys old, dirty money and distributes new money.

Be brand new.

Do a new thing.

Be new wine.

Let Christ move through you and in you.

“I am an overcomer. I am victorious through Him.”

In the end, something got started / Sermon Notes 3-27-11

Text: Deuteronomy 33:1-4

The children of God are moving out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

They are preparing to enter into a land "flowing with milk and honey."

But, before they inherit, they must overcome the obstacles of the past, and come to terms with Moses' place and setting in life.

In the end, something got started. This is not a sad ending, but a joyful beginning.

We frequently look at the end as a fearful thing- end of life, end of a job, end of educational experience...

If you're going to have a beginning, you must have an end.

Let us examine what God can teach us to positions at the end of something and the beginning of something new...

Some people look at Moses' life as a failure because he did not enter the Promised Land. They feel that Moses can't go in because of sin that was in his life.

That leaves us with a question. Did Moses' sin keep him from entering the Promised Land.

Let us look at the end of Moses' life.

His ending is connected to his beginning. The sin in his life did not deter him from the direction God has placed on his life.

His sin did not disqualify him from God's service.

His killing of the Egyptian didn't stop him.

Sin does not disqualify us from our duty and direction for the Lord. We are under his divine direction.

Sin is an undeniable fact of living. Sin will get "on" you as you journey through life. Getting dirt on your shoes is part of the duty.

Temporary sorrow does not keep us from enjoying.

A few roadblocks should not stop us from continuing on to where God is leading us.

Just because you've scraped your knee does not mean that you can't get back into the game.

Only in your determination to keep going forward, will you find your destiny in God.

Sin is a hurdle to overcome on the highway to heaven.

We have too much living to do to worry about death.

Sin can be cleared, overcome.

Sin causes us to stumble. But, stumbling doesn't keep us from staying in the race.

Moses did not allow sin to separate him from his assignment.

There is a difference between sinning and quitting. All of us are sinners. Hopefully, few of us are quitters.

"Your mess does not disqualify you from being blessed!"

Yes, Moses sinned and he struck the rock in anger.

But to all you sin pickers and garbage-getters: Stop picking through other people's garbage to disqualify them and make sure that your is getting picked up / cleaned up! [great!]

Moses looked at sin in the rearview mirror and kept moving forward.

Sin:

1) Separates us from God.

- It makes a space between us and the Divine

- God can reach across this chasm and chaos, reach beyond your failings and frustrations to lift you up.

- God is a lifter of downtrodden head

- He is able to pick me up

- We must be willing to press on

2) Slows us down

- Moses continued the journey even in the midst of his failings

- Faith fights for the future, it does not fail in the midst of adversity

- Paul says that he fought the good fight.

- We are to continue to fight for faith

- You must not give up on God, He will not give up on you!

3) Tries to belittle us

- You are not the sum of your sins

- It is the Christ in us that we must focus on

- Moses stayed large in his own mind

- We must stop looking at ourselves the way others see us. They will try to put us into a very small box.

- God is able to lift us up.

I am standing on a pile of mess, but this does not disqualify me from standing with the Savior, who is working on my stuff.

I am standing on a mountain of sin, but I am also standing on the Rock....

And His name is Jesus.

Before the Promise, Sermon notes 3-20-11

Text: Numbers 32:5-9

We are at the end of the children of Israel's 40 year journey in the wilderness.

In their exodus, God has them pause to examine themselves.

The first generation that left Egypt has died off, because of their unbelief.

The children endured famine, and God supplied quail. They gorged themselves on the quail, and God had to remind them that He is not only the God of the feast, but also of the famine.

Be careful not to waste all your living, in excess.

Before the Promise, there is always a test, a tribulation and a trial.

The children even tried to back away from God. When Moses went to Mt. Sinai to commune with God and receive His laws, the people decided to party-on since God had forgotten about them.

Even though the struggle of your trial and the test of your faith has become difficult, just hold on to God.

Here, the children face one last trial as they ask the question, "How shall we possess the blessing?"

God's blessings come out of His grace. And what is grace? The unmerited favor bestowed on us because He loves us so much.

Just as with the current crisis in Japan, we question the validity of God in the light of our current circumstances. Why does He allow suffering?

Just because you are struggling now, does not mean that you will struggle always.

We must summon the faith to make it to tomorrow.

We must remember that God loves us in our ugliness, shame, filth, frailty, limits and in our less.

We need the love of God most when we are at our bottom.

Grace moves God's love into action. Goodness travels on grace's highway.

Some of us do not try to secure God's blessings because we feel that we do not deserve it.

At those times we want to rely on God's "common" graces; on the grace that He gives to all people.

[We become fatalistic] We say, "If God wills it, it will happen," rather than asking for His blessing in our prayer life.

The enemy keeps us bound up. He accuses us before God and before the brethren. He tells us that we do not deserve God's love.

We don't want to position ourselves only for God's leftovers. We want to be in a position to receive God's best!

"I deserve God's best blessing!"

God can be moved by your condition.

It matters whether we perceive God as a mountain of granite or a mountain of grace.

We must climb to that mountaintop to get God's blessings.

The God of the Old Testament is a God of cooperation. He'll work with you if you work with Him.

In the text, we have the Twelve Tribes of Israel. All 12 tribes did NOT go into the Promised Land. Moses becomes upset with the people and begins to pronounce woes on them.

They have corrupted the blessing Of the Almighty God. He feels they have become like the first generation that left Egypt who did not truly believe that God would bless them. The Lord's anger mirrors Moses'.

The Lord says, "They have not wholly followed Me."

Two of the tribes want to get their blessing beforehand!

But God gives a counteroffer. Before you get your promise, you must help your brothers first.

It's not all about you.

Are you willing to help someone else secure their blessing before you get yours?

"If there is anything I can do to help you get your blessing, I'll be there for you."

They begin to work for the blessings of other people, and the Lord's anger turned to favor. God blessed them because of their willingness to help others.

If you're willing to help someone else, God will look in on your "stuff."

Illustration: The Smile-Smile taxi company in Japan.

Here is the link -  http://marketplace.publicradio.org/standard/display/slideshow.php?ftr_id=90144

Will you help someone else while your own life is in shambles?

God is a movable mountain of grace.

Illustration- Drake- Yoda Yoda Best, LORD; Best I ever had, LORD!

Sermon Notes 3-13-11

Text: Exodus 4:22-27 (King James Version)

22And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

23And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

24And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

26So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.

27And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.

There is no shortcut to salvation. In the text, God comes to check on Moses, and the baby has not been circumcised. As a backdrop, Moses has brought his wife Zipporah out of Midian and she does not know the God of Moses. Moses' intention was to go around what God wants him to do because he is too busy; as we think we are.

We must put some work in with God. How is your prayer life, Bible life, church attendance?

We cannot short-circuit the process.

Before you (Moses) can pronounce judgment on Pharaoh- be sure your house is in order.

Before you begin to quote scriptures to others, be sure you are standing on solid ground.

Remember, judgment begins at the house of the Lord.

Has your life been changed by the Word of God?

What are you doing to continue to do what God has asked you to do?

We must:

1. Learn to be persistent in our faith.

   We must learn to stand on our principles even when they don't look like they are working.

   We must learn to be faithful before our God.

   We must be persistent through our situation and circumstances.


2. Learn to be resistant to the temptation to follow other people.

   We don't know what they have been through to get where they are.

   We don't know what they may have had to compromise.

   Did they make a deal with the Devil?

   Do not cut down on your principles or standards.

   Don't you compromise on your values, because God is looking at you.

  Stand for something that is pure and holy in the eyesight of the Lord.

  Zipporah is being true to who she is, and she still has some wild ways.

  Moses was supposed to uphold the Lord's standards for her.


We must be able to sacrifice something on the altar of sacrifice for the Lord to be pleased with it.

Sacrifice is the price of salvation!


Illustration: Gideon. Get down to the qualified people.

The Lord needs people who are not looking for status or symbols.

Are we willing to put in the work to rebuild the foundation of the church?

We need to be willing to put some skin in the game.

We need more than Sunday-morning kind of faith.

Can you make sacrifices over and above your Sunday-morning visit?

Where is your faith on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday?

Unless you (we) are willing to put some skin in the game, we will never be able to build for the Kingdom.

3. We must learn to exist the way God sees us, as people of faith.

    Faith is a quality that runs through our complete lives.

    Faith moves, shapes and mold us!

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." 1 Corinthians 13:13 (King James Version)

Faith is part of the engine that drives God's people.

This is not a short work, it is lifelong.

Remember, Moses did not make it into the Promised Lane, but he was faithful to his work and his calling.

The Touch Test , Mark 5:25-34

Sermon Notes

Mark 5:25-34 (New International Version, ©2011)


25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.

33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

God’s Word is a Rhema word, which means that it could have meant something yesterday and something brand new today; look at life with new lenses.

God is a breathing Spirit in contact with our lives on a daily basis.

Right now context for a right now problem.

Men can find a place in this message; it is not gender-specific.

Right now context: When I look at the Body of Christ (everywhere), I am saddened and disquieted within my soul. There is a lack of spiritual awareness on the part of God’s people. Many say they know God, but lack spiritual awareness of their circumstances in Him. We must understand that although we feel we know God, we are on a sinking ship. You (we) need help! We go to and fro, church to church, conference to conference searching for God, when we need to find Him in our situation.

You should be careful when people speak over your life and don’t know anything about you. This is spiritual voodoo. They are speaking out of their circumstance, not yours.

Embrace the touch test. There are people who insist that their spirituality revolves around their external circumstances. When all is well, I trust God. When it is not, I don’t. God never changes! We need to touch our lives with the finger of the Word.

In the midst of failure, she (the woman with the issue of blood) pushed her way through her problems, her current circumstance, to reach out to touch Jesus.

The place where you first met God was probably not at your peak, on the mountain-top. Ezekiel spoke to the bones only after they had lain dry and dusty in the valley.

Spiritual awareness often comes to us on the sea of calamity. We have to go through some things to find God. It is difficult to find our spiritual identity in the midst of personal prosperity. Matthew 19:26, Jesus uses the illustration of the rich man and the Kingdom of God.

In the midst of prosperity, you need to be careful. The mechanics of spiritual maturity are such that, with prosperity, we get comfortable in our condition, which can lead to carelessness, because this can become the major focus of our spiritual eye. We become concerned with self-enlargement. Be careful what you pray for. Prosperity and wealth bring with it responsibility. If you are not careful, you will squander you stuff.

Illustration: a tiny snowball rolling down a hill, can lead to an avalanche.

We must be willing to seek help. At her lowest point, the woman in the story presses through the crowd. Even though she is out of place, she pushes forward. She is broken and busted, but is willing to go through the touch test. If you have tried everything else, and it has all failed you, touch Jesus. Pinch, beat, touch, pray for yourself to check you reality. When everything else has fallen by the wayside, focus on this moment…let go and Let God.

He may be able to break through and lift you out of your life.

What qualifies us to know if we are on the plus side of the ledger?

We must possess proof of a personal passion for the Prince of Peace. Do you really love Jesus? He has paid the price for you on Calvary.

We should bear marks of the Master. These marks are not fancy cars, furs, bling. It is what is down on the inside.

Illustration: Hare Krishna. We cannot truly be comfortable with everything in this life. There are some areas of your life that you should be concerned about. We must be willing to put in the work to be able to pass the touch test in our lives.

There are ways we can begin to see what’s on the inside. We must lift the spiritual fog we walk in.

The secret to passing the test is that you must know who you are in Him. We cannot get anything from God if we don’t know who we are. We need to get comfortable with our spiritual identity.

What makes up your spiritual personality? What kind of faith engine drives you?
Each of us is unique in God. We speak and hear from God in different ways.

Many of us want to imitate others rather than being our own unique selves. Statement: “I am a person of faith!”

What kind of faith do you operate in? There are 3:

1. Like a sponge

a. Consider Mary and Martha. Mary had sponge-like faith. She sat at Jesus’ feet and absorbed what He said, and let it ruminate in her soul and spirit.

b. She just needed to be present/

2. Fisherman faith

a. You cast your net, and pull in some stuff. You look at it.

b. If it is to your liking, you eat, absorb, take it in

c. If it is not to your liking, you discard it

d. The key is that you must examine and discern what you have caught to determine what is useful.

e. These people are focused in where they throw their rod

3. Magnetic faith, as demonstrated in this passage

a. When she focused, she was able to draw out of what was going on around her, and pull it to herself

b. These people can draw stuff from people, and what they draw they can absorb and it becomes a part of them

c. These people can make it on their own


Learn how to get something from God for yourself. She could correct her circumstance because she could operate in faith. Faith is what allows the power of God to operate in your life. Press toward the mark.

When we lose people who we feel are vital and pivotal to our existence, it can be a tumultuous transition for many. At this stage, many will have to determine who their faith is in. The man (in this case, pastor) or in God? Will we continue to shine when that happens?

If we don’t shine for the Lord, the Devil will shine on without us.

At the end of the passage, the woman is trying to sink back into the shadows, to go unnoticed. But she cannot, as Jesus proclaims, “Somebody touched me!” Her life is now changed, forever, because of her faith.

Are you satisfied? (Sermon notes)

Subject: “Are you satisfied?” February 27, 2011

Text- Philippians 4:13-15

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.  Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only..." (New International Version, ©2010)

This epistle was written during Paul’s imprisonment, and he has a right to grumble. He has been beaten, shipwrecked, talked about, and imprisoned (still). He is waiting for his trial before Cesar. He has a full cup of disappointment. He finds something to rally himself in the service of the Savior.

Many of us have a countenance like lemonade. We frown up on everything in life.

Are you satisfied with the Savior?

Paul finds something to propel him forward in the face of failure. What keeps him with joy on the insides? To do this he (we) needs to have been sincere in what he (you) started.

We need to come into service with a sincere heart. Some of us come into church service with insincerity, and ultimately find dissatisfaction with the Savior. We become dissatisfied to the point that we have come to.

We need to be sincere in the service to the Lord!

Salvation is the birthing pool of sincerity.

We need complete commitment to the call of the Gospel.

Paul is not sorry for serving the Lord.

In Chapter 1, verse 7, Paul is commending the Philippians for laboring with him in this journey. Despite his circumstances, he still finds satisfaction with the Savior.

And that is what we need to find...despite steel mills closing, spouses going on, children who stray from our teachings.

“You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough!”

Personal success is not the only measure of satisfaction.

How can we find satisfaction in the light of a dissatisfying circumstance?

We must have high standards, and a lot of it is right here in Philippians:

Philippians (King James Version)

2:5 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus..."

2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth..."

3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death..."

3:13 "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..."

Do you still have joy in the midnight hour or in the midst of your sorrow?

Is it worth it to work for God? Or, are you working for your own appetite?

In my poverty, I am filled with fullness. We need a spiritual diet.

The context of Paul’s epistle is set in suffering.

From the Greek: 4:13

panta            ischuw                          en           tw         endunamounti        me               [cristw]


(panta)       (ischuO)                       (en)          (tO)    (endunamounti)        (me)            [(christO)]       



ALL         I-AM-beING-STRONG     IN          THE    One-IN-ABLING       ME             ANOINTED  
                                                                                 one-invigorating                           Christ


I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (King James Version)

Panta means - in every way

Iscuw meaning - I endure

What Paul is saying here is that IN EVERY WAY, I ENDURE! [And I’m still standing].

And this is what qualifies m and us for the promises of Jesus. When you reach your bottom, HE is still able to fill you up!

Ilus.: A runner: You cannot get your second wind, until you have expended your first wind, and continue on.

We come to the church and serve God in our limitation, rather than in expectation of the manifestation of God in our lives!

Psalm 42, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.." (NIV)

In Philippians 4:13, the word for Christ is not actually in the greek text Why? We are referred back to John 15:5, where Jesus says very clearly, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV)

You can do nothing unless you abide in me. Christ has been Paul’s supplier through it all. Although he is suffering on the outside, he is praising him on the inside.

The psalmist says, (Psalm 51:12), “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (NIV)

Paul is an authorized user and point of release of God’s power. He is not in this for, for him own benefit, or by himself!

Paul’s anointing is not his own. Aaron was anointed with oil. Sampson was anointed by the Lord, he shook.

Once you get qualified for anointing power, it does not leave you. It stays in you.

Are you qualified, anointed AND appointed?
When trouble is all around, call on HIM!

Illus.: A lesson we can learn from March Madness, the game of keep away. When the victory is clearly in sight, and time is running out, the players pass the ball around to run the clock down. In “old school” parlance this was called “keep away.” Now it is called “four corners.”

Don’t let the devil steal your joy, play keep away.