Special Sunday Night Service

Special Event Son Life hosted a special service 2-22-09 if you couldn't make it or you would like to hear what Pastor John from Grace to the Nations had to say again then download listen and enjoy this special message.

A Dedicated Life - Devoted & Reverent (notes

A Dedicated Life - Devoted & Reverent

We Live In A world with constant struggles, conflicts, and wars.

There Is A Culture war going on as we sit here this morning, but there is an event greater war in the Spirit Realm, it is a conflict between the forces of evil and of good.

How We Deal

• With social injustice, racism or anti-Semitism is determined by our world view.
• How we view the world affects our ideals, our thoughts and our behavior.
• It also affects how we treat people and how we live our lives.

If Our World View

• Is based on eternal values we will live a life that makes a difference in this world.
• We will touch the hurts in humanity when we live according to the values found in the Word of God.

We Will Make A difference in this world and when we stand before a loving God He will welcome us into eternal dwelling places.

Luke 16:9

Acts 10

Cornelius was a military commander of 100 Roman soldiers. He was stationed in Caesarea.

A Stand Out Man

• Acts 10:2
• He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

Cornelius Demonstrated His devotion to God by being generous. He gave to those in need. Acts 10:22 it was said of him, he is a righteous and God fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people.

To Gain The respect of a community you have to be a man of integrity, generosity and good works. This shows dedication to God.

If I Am Devout

• It will be demonstrated by my realization that everything I possess has been put in my hands by God.
• Jesus said, freely I have received thus freely I give.

Application

• God is the one who puts resources in my hands.
• God has given me the abilities to make a living.
• If God asks me to give to Him, I obey.
• God will bless me like He blessed Cornelius so I can be a blessing.

A Dedicated Life - Devoted & Reverent

A Dedicated Life - Devoted & Reverent this message was given on 2-22-09

A Dedicated Life - A New Thing (notes)

A Dedicated Life - A New Thing

There Are Many

Lost hurting people in our city that need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ!

The Lord

• Is doing a new thing among us.
• This is the result of a new dedication that I sense is happening here.
• There is a new vitality, a fresh anointing in all that is happening here.

Isaiah 43

• Says how God feels about us.
• Says not to fear for God is with us.
• He will bring our children from the east and the west, from the north and the south and from the ends of the earth.
• A call to all believers here to minister to the hurting that He will bring to this place.

Isaiah 43

• Also talks about the power of witnessing what God has done when He is doing a new thing.
• It says to forget the former things of the past, don’t even dwell on them.
• See, I am doing a new thing. It will be a time of refreshing for us. (Signs and wonders, miracles and healing will be normal.)

The Gospel

• Is hope for the hopeless
• Is help to the hurting
• Is healing for the sick
• Is release for the bound

Luke 4:18

The Reason

Jesus was used to help people was because He was completely dedicated to God and to the Good News.

The Reason

God used the disciples to shake the world for Jesus was because they were completely dedicated to God and to the Good News that Jesus gave them.

Acts 4:31

Why Is It Important For God To Do A New Thing In The Church?

1. Because people get into ruts and we need God to get us out of it.
2. We allow unforgiveness, bitterness or hurt to stop the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
3. We get accustomed to a system that is no longer valid or doesn’t work. Jesus said we need new wine skins to pour in the new wine of the Spirit.

What Can We Do?

• Rededicate ourselves to the great commission and the new commandment.
• Tell everyone about Jesus
• Love each other as He loves us.

When Jesus & John

• Came they preached repentance because God was going to do a new thing.
• The call is the same today. We must be willing to change if we are going to see God do a new thing here.

Application

• This is a new day to serve God.
• This is a new season to reach out to the hurting of our community.
• Let’s ask God what ministry He desires us to move into.
• Let’s be obedient to the call of the Holy Spirit.

A Dedicated Life - A New Thing

A Dedicated Life - A New Thing this message was given on 2-15-09

A Dedicated Life - Changing Our Mentality (notes)

A Dedicated Life - Changing Our Mentality

An Unhealthy mentality is part of our culture! It is a mindset that says, I’m in a hole, I need a hand out--a bail out. I’m not responsible for my actions, someone else is.

As Individuals or a nation we can not live above our means and declare, “I’m bankrupt and I am not accountable.” The government will bail me out, or my parents.

As Believers we need a new mindset if we are going to live a life dedicated to God and fit for His purpose through service.

We Must Change Our Mind Set, Our Attitude And Our View.

It Takes Discipline To Be A Champion.

The Word of God calls us more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:37-39

Says that nothing can separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Mindset of the Christian should be one of sacrifice.

Romans 12:1-2

The Process To A New Mind Set Is Found In Romans 12:

1. We sacrifice our selves unto God.
2. This is life of dedication to God.
3. We don’t allow the culture to mold us.
4. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds (We get a new mind set).

What It Takes To Have A Right Mind Set: Psalm 34, 37

1. Recognize a wrong mind set.
2. Recognize God is my provider.
3. Recognize God will never forsake us.
4. Have a good steward mentality.
5. Have a giving attitude.

How To Recognize The Spirit Of Poverty:

1. It is when I expect others to provide for me instead of God.
2. When I mismanage what God has put in my hands.
3. When I mismanage what belongs to someone else.
4. When I don’t work with my hands or am lazy.

Can We Change Our Mind Set?

• Yes, but looking at God’s Word and applying it to my life everyday.
• By obeying what God teaches me everyday.

Practical Ways To Form A New Mind Set:

1. Treat someone else to lunch or dinner.
2. Help someone less fortunate than yourself.
3. Give extra in my offering next week.
4. Increase my giving this year to the Lord.

Points To Ponder

• We can have a totally new way of looking at life.
• The Word of God can give us that new view.
• We just need to open our minds and hearts.

A Dedicated Life - Changing Our Mentality

A Dedicated Life - Changing Our Mentality this message was given on 2-8-09

A Dedicated Life - A Glorious Church (notes)

A Dedicated Life - A Glorious Church

The Greek Word for church is Eklessia or called out ones.

Ephesians

• Talks about the church being seated in heavenly places in Christ.
• Talks about the fact that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It Also Says

• That His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross.

Ephesians 5

• Talks about the relationship of a man and his wife as an example of Jesus & His church.

Jesus promised to cleanse His church by His Word. Every time we sit under the ministry of the Word of God there is a cleansing process that takes place in our lives individually and corporately.

The Purpose of the cleansing power of the Word of God is so the Lord can present us to God as a radiant (glorious) church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish but holy and blameless.

One Role of Jesus is to nurture the church so the church can be healthy, strong and holy.

We The Church

• Are one body but many members.
• Are connected to each other by the blood of Jesus Christ.
• Are in the world but not of it.

Jesus Christ is the true vine and the Father is the gardener. The Father cuts off every branch that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit He prunes so it will bear more fruit.

John 15:1-2

John 15:3-4

• The Word of Jesus cleanses the church.
• As we remain in Jesus, He remains in us.
• No branch can produce fruit by itself, it must remain connected to the vine.
• The same goes to the believer who thinks he can bear fruit by not being connected to Jesus Christ.

John 15:5

• Jesus is the Vine, we are the branches as I remain in Jesus and Jesus in me I will bear much fruit for apart from Jesus I can do nothing that is of Kingdom value.
• If anyone does not remain in Jesus, he will be like a branch that is thrown away & withers, those branches are thrown into the fire when they are burned.

If You Remain

• In Jesus and His Word ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
• This brings glory to the Father, bearing much fruit, this demonstrates that we are followers of Jesus Christ.

Points To Ponder

• The Word is the key to fruitfulness.
• The early church learned this principle. Acts 6:7

The Increase

• Of the Word of God was one of the keys to the expansion of the early church.
• The Lord promised power by the Holy Spirit so the church could increase or become fruitful.

The Name of Jesus was the last key to the expansion of the early church.

The Three Keys to the expansion of any church in any generation are:

1. The Word of God
2. The Holy Spirit
3. The Name of Jesus

A Dedicated Life - A Glorious Church

A Dedicated Life - A Glorious Church this message was given on 2-1-09