Wednesday, April 29, 2009

A Dedicated Life - A God Given Dream! (notes)

A Dedicated Life - A God Given Dream!

When Someone Is given a dream by the Lord:

  1. It will be fulfilled.
  2. It will be fulfilled in God’s Perfect time.

Lets Look When It Comes To God, be like Joseph. Be a big dreamer. Don’t let the thief steal your ability to dream great dreams for the glory of God.

God Demonstrates

  • His power as Joseph’s brothers bowed down before him.
  • Joseph remembered his dreams in Genesis 42:9s

Genesis 42:9

  • Over thirteen years passed since Joseph dreamed that his brothers would bow down to him Joseph was a prophet and his word came to pass!

It’s Been Years And Joseph has learned a few things about human nature. Joseph is no longer that naïve teenager but a powerful leader of Egypt. He wants to know; have my brothers changed, have they grown or do they feel remorse for their sin against me?

Are they still the cold blooded brothers?

They Are still telling the same old lie about Joseph. “One is no more…” As far as Joseph is concerned, Joseph might as well been dead!

Gen. 42:13

It’s Now Time For Joseph’s brothers to be tested.

v. 20-21

Reuben speaks out

v. 22-23

Why does Joseph turn away from them?

v. 24

He wanted to make sure that they were sorry for what they did, not for being caught.

This is real repentance. This is what God looks for when we fail Him.

Joseph Had A Pure Heart

  • Or was he testing them still by putting their money they had taken to Egypt to buy grain.
  • They said, “we are honest men, we are not spies.”

Application

  • When it comes to the fulfillment of a God given dream Reuben is a type of the Holy Spirit.
  • Romans 8:26-28 Just as Reuben intervened in saving Joseph, the Holy Spirit intervenes in our lives for salvation, deliverance and the fulfillment of a God given dream.

The Holy Spirit

  • Is the one who gives believers visions and dreams for accomplishing God’s purpose throughout lives.

One Way We step in our destiny in God to fulfill His dream is by being baptized in the Holy Spirit and praying in the Spirit daily.

Prophetic Application
The thief comes to steal your dream

  • He destroys people’s dreams that the Holy Spirit gave them.
  • God can use what ever the thief tries to steal, we put our trust in God and in the dream He gave us.

Principles

  • The thief steals, kills and destroys God given dreams.
  • Jesus’ abundant life is fulfilled when we don’t allow the thief to steal our joy.
  • In adversity, don’t loose your joy, keep your dream and watch God fulfill it at the right time like He did for Joseph.

Principles
In fulfillment of divine dreams

  • It wasn’t about Joseph but about the plan of God to save the nation of Israel.
  • If you have a God given dream, don’t let anyone steal it from you, hang on to it learn what you need to learn in suffering, keep your joy and watch God work it out.

Principles

  • If God has given you a dream and you have been through some hard times make a decision today that you will (with God’s help) see its fulfillment.

A Dedicated Life - A God Given Dream!

A Dedicated Life - A God Given Dream this message was given on 4-26-09

Sunday, April 19, 2009

A Dedicated Life - God Is More Than Enough (notes)

A Dedicated Life - God Is More Than Enough

There Will Be A global economic meltdown in the end times!

Luke 19:9

If Money Will Fail

  • What should be our attitude?
  • Live one day at a time; learn to trust in the Lord daily. Jesus said that this should be part of our prayer life. “Give us this day our daily bread…” The Lord’s Prayer.

When It Comes To God, be like Joseph. Be a big dreamer. Don’t let the thief steal your ability to dream great dreams for the glory of God.

Jesus Is

  • More than enough. God is not poor and He is not tight with what He owns (He owns it all!).
  • Gracious and very generous with His children.

Proverbs 10:22

“The blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow with it.”

Genesis 41:53-54

  • The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph said.
  • Joseph was a prophet and his word came to pass!

It’s Easy To praise the Lord when all our bills are paid and we have money in our savings but what about the times we go from pay check to pay check?

There Was famine in the other lands, but in Egypt there was food.

Gen. 41:55

  • If we use wisdom when things are good we can have more than enough when things are not as good.

God Is

  • More than enough! In Genesis 17 He is revealed to Abraham as El Shaddai.
  • It means powerful, the Almighty, majesty, the all sufficient one; Sadday was the covenant name by which God revealed Himself to the Patriarchs.

God Is Good

What ever we need is found in Him! But we don’t serve Him because of His goodness but because we love Him!

Sometimes

  • It takes a lifetime before we get a true revelation of God. Abraham was 99 years old when God is revealed as “El Shaddai”.

Gen. 17:1

Application

  • A revelation of God always amounts to an action on our part.

Gen. 17:1-2

  1. Serve me faithfully
  2. Live a blameless life: “And I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

The People Cried

  • To pharaoh for food and Pharaoh tells them “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.”
verse 55
  • Pharaoh trust Joseph’s judgment. The Egyptians were not accustomed to living in lack but God raised up a young man to help them in their time of need.

When The Famine

  • Spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians.
  • All the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.

Prophetic Application Jesus said I will build my church…

  • A bad economy can not stop the church.
  • War can not stop the church.
  • The enemies of the cross can not stop the church.
  • Nothing can stop the church.

Principles

  • God is our provider and when things are bad in the world, He will come to our aid and show Himself strong to save.
  • During hard times the world will come to the church for help. God always gives His children wisdom, especially in hard times.

Principles Why God Trust Us With Plenty In Bad Times?

  • The believers (church) are good stewards and can deal with scarcity a lot better than the world can.
  • Christians are honest and can be trusted not to cheat.
  • Christians are generous.
  • Christians know how to deal with adversity.

Principles

  • God performs miracles and he can supply all our needs, even in bad times.

Examples:

  1. Moses & Israel needed water in the wilderness and God supplied.
  2. They needed bread and God gave them manna.
  3. Jesus feeds thousands with a boy’s lunch.

A Dedicated Life - God Is More Than Enough

A Dedicated Life - God Is More Than Enough this message was given on 4-19-09

Monday, April 13, 2009

Passion Week - Death Conquered (notes)

Passion Week - Death Conquered

The last enemy of man is death!

Most People fear the unknown and the reason so many fear death is because it is unknown to mankind.

On Friday Jesus suffered, bled and died for man to be restored back into fellowship with the Father.

Jesus Conquered Death

“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”

Romans 6:9

Jesus is the resurrection & the life…

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

I Corinthians 15:21

Death Could Not Keep Him In Its Grip (New Living)

Acts 2:24 (The Message)

“And you pinned Him to a cross and killed Him. But God untied the death ropes and raised Him up. Death was no match for Him.”

What Sin Did:

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Romans 5:12

What The Death And Resurrection Of Jesus Christ Provided For Us:

  1. Reconciliation. (Romans 5:10)
  2. Newness of life. (Rom. 6:4)
  3. Resurrection life. (Rom. 6:5)
  4. Destruction of man’s enemy. (I Cor. 15:26)
  5. Power. (Philippians 3:10)
  6. Abolished death. (2 Tim.1:10)
  7. He tasted death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)
  8. Destroyed he who had the power of death, that is, the Devil. (Heb. 2:14)
  9. Jesus has the keys of hell & of death. (Revelation 1:18)
  10. Victory over demons. (Luke 10:19, Col. 2:15)

Jesus’ Suffering Also Provided:

  • Restoration in our relationship with the Father.
  • Healing for our bodies. (I Peter 2:24)
  • Peace with God. (Rom. 5:1)
  • Prosperity. (2 Cor. 8:9)
  • Eternal life. (John 3:16)

Application

  • The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the culmination of the greatest event in history.
  • This is not just a religious holiday but there is power behind what Jesus did.
  • Let’s apply all the blessings of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to our daily lives.

Passion Week - Death Conquered

Passion Week - Death Conquered this message was given on 4-13-09

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Passion Week - The Mind of Christ (notes)

Passion Week - The Mind of Christ

What Was Jesus thinking when He rode into Jerusalem?

Jesus Christ

  • The greatest figure in human history came to earth, preached the Gospel, healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead and set the captives free.
  • Was arrested, tried, flogged, died on the cross, went into hell, liberated the captives there and rose from the dead in three days.

On Palm Sunday

Jesus came into the City of David on a donkey as a humble servant. The King of Glory took the form of a servant, humbled Himself and gave His life to restore humanity to a place of honor and glory.

Events After Jesus Entered Jerusalem:

  • His followers didn’t notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures about Jesus.
  • The crowd that saw Lazarus raised from death continued to spread the word.
  • As a result they went out to meet Him.
  • The Pharisees were threatened by Him.

The Crowd

Took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Jn. 12:13 Revelation 7:9

Events Preceding The Death Of Jesus:

  • The anointing of Jesus.
  • The betrayal by Judas.
  • Preparation for Passover.
  • The last supper.
  • Jesus predicts Peter’s failure.
  • The garden of Gethsemane.

Let’s Look At the Mind Of Jesus as He rode on the donkey!

  • He could have remembered when He was 12 years old talking with the professors of Jerusalem U.
  • His first sermon.
  • How in a few days the same people would be shouting crucify Him.

What Is On Your Mind Today?

  • What are you planning for Monday?
  • What about your future?

What Am I Thinking About Today:

  1. I long for the day when we will not worry about what we will do next.
  2. When God visits us as Jesus did and we will stay here as long as it takes to get the message He has for us.

Revelation 3:20

Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to conquerors!

The Message

Application

  • Let’s expect Jesus to visit us.
  • Let’s not just praise Him but live for Him for the rest of our lives.
  • Let’s welcome Jesus into His House.

Passion Week - The Mind of Christ

Passion Week - The Mind of Christ this message was given on 4-5-09

***Guest Speaker***

***Guest Speaker*** Spoke March 29th.