Sunday, December 29, 2013
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Esther: Release from destruction (part 3 of 4)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
November 20, 2013
Esther: Release from
destruction (part 3 of 4)
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
Esther 4
When
Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on
sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and
bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s
gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it.3 In
every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great
mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in
sackcloth and ashes.
4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female
attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She
sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not
accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of
the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was
troubling Mordecai and why.
6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the
open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai
told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of
money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of
the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of
the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to
Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the
king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
9 Hathak went back and reported to
Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she
instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the
king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or
woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being
summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless
the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But
thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”
12 When Esther’s words were reported to
Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not
think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will
escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this
time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another
place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you
have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
15 Then Esther sent this reply to
Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who
are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or
day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to
the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and carried out
all of Esther’s instructions.
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Enter God's Rest: By setting others loose (part 3 of 4)
SUNDAY MESSAGE
Theme: Enter God’s
Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and
Renewal/Restoration
Enter God’s rest: By setting others loose (part 3 of 4)
“The odor remover”
November 17, 2013
But when the kindness and love of God our
Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us
through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,6
whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Savior (Titus 3:4-6 NIV)
John 11:39-44
"Take away the stone,"
he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man,
"by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not
tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took
away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you
that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said
this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that
you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice,
"Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet
wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to
them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
I Am Therefore You Are
Exodus 3:14
14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.
Moses was incomparably the fittest of any man. He was taught in the ways of the Egyptians, he was a man of many abilities, yet he asks God, Who am I? When commissioned by God to carryout the plan for of setting the children of Israel free from bondage. Moses gives God his list of why he isn't fit to carry out the task God has placed before him.
This question of identity and one's ability is not uncommon for people today. Many are seeking to find their place and purpose in life, yet the long list of why they are not fit stands in the way. In this quest for identity we listen to many voices and the thoughts of others on who we are. We listen to what others say about us, what we say about ourselves, but we often forget to ask God, "Who do you say I am".
To read the full article, click on the link below:
If you would like to purchase, I Soar: The Chicken is out of the coop, you can go to our website:
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Enter God's Rest: By Setting others loose - Dead things stink
http://www.youtube.com/v/g2rmLjnvYwY?version=3&autohide=1&autoplay=1&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=B6m0zoPhhfy8HLqOSYP-rw&feature=share&autohide=1
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Esther: Release from destruction (part 1 of 4)
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
November 6, 2013
Esther: Release from
destruction (part 1 of 4)
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
Esther 1:8-17
8 When the king’s order and edict had
been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa and put
under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and
entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. 9 She
pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty
treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female
attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants
into the best place in the harem. 10 Esther had not revealed her
nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.11 Every
day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how
Esther was and what was happening to her. 12 Before a young woman’s turn came to
go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty
treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with
perfumes and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she
would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from
the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening
she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to
the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the
concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with
her and summoned her by name. 15 When the turn came for Esther (the
young woman Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to
the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch
who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of
everyone who saw her. 16 She was taken to King
Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the
seventh year of his reign.
17 Now the king was attracted to Esther
more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more
than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her
queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave
a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and
officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and
distributed gifts with royal liberality.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Enter God's Rest: By setting others loose - Removing the barriers
SUNDAY MESSAGE
Theme: Enter God’s
Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and
Renewal/Restoration
Enter God’s rest: By setting others loose (part 1 of 4)
“Removing the barriers”
November 3, 2013
But when the kindness and love of God our
Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us
through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,6
whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Savior (Titus 3:4-6 NIV)
John 11:39-44 ~ "Take away the
stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the
dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four
days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you
would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. Then Jesus
looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I
knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people
standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said
this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man
came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around
his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let
him go."
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Enter God's Rest: Time for "R & R"
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
October 30, 2013
Jeremiah: Release from the pit (part 5 of 5)
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty
men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before
he dies.” 11 So
Ebed-Melek took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the
palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down
with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. 12 Ebed-Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Put these
old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did
so, 13 and
they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And
Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard. (Jeremiah 38:10-13)
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Enter God's Rest: By speaking up and speaking out (part 4 of 4)
SUNDAY MESSAGE
Theme: Enter God’s
Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and
Renewal/Restoration
Enter God’s rest: By speaking up and speaking out (part 4 of 4)
October 27, 2013
But when the kindness and love of God our
Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us
through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,6
whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Savior (Titus 3:4-6 NIV)
Matthew 11:12 And from the time John
the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been
forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Dream Makers - Accepting The Call to Ministry, part 2 10/24 by Dream Makers1 | Religion Podcasts
Dream Makers - Accepting The Call to Ministry, part 2 10/24 by Dream Makers1 | Religion Podcasts
Join us tonight at 10 p.m. CST for Dream Makers. We will discuss what it means to accept your call to ministry. This show isn't just for ministers but for anyone seeking to understand God's mission for their lives.
Join us tonight at 10 p.m. CST for Dream Makers. We will discuss what it means to accept your call to ministry. This show isn't just for ministers but for anyone seeking to understand God's mission for their lives.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Jeremiah: Release from the pit (part 4 of 5)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
October 23, 2013
Jeremiah: Release from the pit (part 4 of 5)
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare
10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty
men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before
he dies.” 11 So
Ebed-Melek took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the
palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down
with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. 12 Ebed-Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Put these
old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did
so, 13 and
they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And
Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard. (Jeremiah 38:10-13)
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Enter God's rest: By speaking up and speaking out (part 3 of 4)
Theme: Enter God’s
Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and
Renewal/Restoration
Enter God’s rest: By speaking up and speaking out (part 3 of 4)
October 20, 2013
But when the kindness and love of God our
Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us
through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,6
whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Savior (Titus 3:4-6 NIV)
I left off last week stating, Before you can move to
speaking up and speaking out, you have to know what God has called you to do.
We talked about that, now we turn to what John was called to do.
Matthew: 3:7-11(NLT) 7 But when he saw many
Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize,[c] he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!”
he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? 8 Prove
by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we
are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create
children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even
now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees.
Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and
thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize with[d] water those who repent
of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I
am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his
sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.[e]
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Jeremiah: Release from the Pit (part 3 of 5)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
October 16, 2013
Jeremiah: Release from the pit (part 3 of 5)
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
6 So they took Jeremiah and put him
into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the
guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern; it had no water in
it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. 7 But
Ebed-Melek, a Cushite,[c] an official[d] in the royal palace, heard that
they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the
Benjamin Gate, 8 Ebed-Melek went out of the palace
and said to him, 9 “My lord the king, these men
have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have
thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no
longer any bread in the city.” (Jeremiah 38:6-9)
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Enter God's Rest: By Speaking up and Speaking out (part 2 of 4)
SUNDAY MESSAGE
Theme: Enter God’s
Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and
Renewal/Restoration
Enter God’s rest: By speaking up and speaking out (part 2 of 4)
October 13, 2013
But when the kindness and love of God our
Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of
righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us
through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,6
whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Savior (Titus 3:4-6 NIV)
Matthew: 3:1-6(NLT) In those days John the Baptist came
to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent
of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.[a]” 3 The
prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said, “He is a voice shouting in
the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’” 4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse
camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate
locusts and wild honey. 5 People from
Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see
and hear John. 6 And when they confessed
their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Jeremiah: Release from the pit (part 2 of 5)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
October 9, 2013
Jeremiah: Release from the pit (part 2 of 5)
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
6 So they took Jeremiah and put him
into the cistern of Malkijah (Mal-ki-jah), the king’s son, which was in the
courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the cistern;
it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. 7 But
Ebed-Melek, a Cushite,[c] an official[d] in the royal palace, heard that
they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the
Benjamin Gate, 8 Ebed-Melek went out of the palace
and said to him, 9 “My lord the king, these men
have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have
thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no
longer any bread in the city.” (Jeremiah 38:6-9)
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Enter God's Rest: Time for R & R (part 5 of 5)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R
& R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
September 29, 2013
But when the kindness and love
of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had
done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the
washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,6 whom he poured out on
us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:4-6 NIV)
9 But avoid foolish controversies
and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because
these are unprofitable and useless.10 Warn
a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have
nothing to do with them. 11 You
may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned. 12 As soon as I send
Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis,
because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and
Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. 14 Our people must learn to
devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent
needs and not live unproductive lives. 15 Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those
who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. (Titus 3:9-15)
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Daniel: Release from the lion den (part 4 of 4)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
Daniel: Release from the Lion den (part 4 of 4)
September 25, 2013
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to
the lions’ den.20 When he came near the den, he called
to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your
God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel
answered, “May the king live forever! 22 My God
sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt
me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any
wrong before you, Your Majesty.” 23 The king was
overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was
lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had
trusted in his God. 24 At the king’s command, the
men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’
den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the
floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. 25 Then
King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all
the earth: “May you prosper greatly!
26 “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people
must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and
he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never
end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and
wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power
of the lions.” 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign
of Darius and the reign of Cyrus[b] the Persian (Daniel 6:19-28)
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Enter God's Rest: Time for R & R (part 4 of 5)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
September 22, 2013
But when the kindness and love
of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not
because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He
saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit,6 whom he poured out on us generously
through Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus
3:4-6 NIV)
9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and
quarrels about
the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.10 Warn a divisive
person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to
do with them. 11 You
may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned. 12 As
soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at
Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. 13 Do everything you can to
help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have
everything they need. 14 Our
people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to
provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. 15 Everyone
with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. (Titus 3:9-15)
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Daniel: Release from the lions den (part 3 of 4)
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
WEDNESDAY’S WORD
Daniel: Release from the Lion den (part 3 of 4)
September 18, 2013
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~ My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
11 Then these men went as a group and
found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his
royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days
anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would
be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the
law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel,
who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your
Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a
day.” 14 When
the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to
rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15 Then the men went as a group to King
Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of
the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” 16 So the king gave the order, and they
brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel,
“May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” 17 A
stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king
sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so
that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then
the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and
without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. (Daniel 6:11-18)
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Sunday Message from College Online Ministry and Encouragement
Enter God's Rest: Time for R & R (part 3 of 5) from Jewel Wlliams on Vimeo.
Join us for today's Sunday Word from College Online Ministry and Encouragement.
Join us for today's Sunday Word from College Online Ministry and Encouragement.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
C.O.M.E. 2013-2014 Season!
It is time for the new season of C.O.M.E.
Theme: Enter God’s Rest: Time for “R & R”
Release and Renewal/Restoration
4 But when the kindness and love
of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not
because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He
saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy
Spirit,6 whom he poured out on us generously through
Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:4-6 NIV)
Psalm 25:15 NIV ~
My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my
feet from the snare.
Friday, March 29, 2013
I am thirsty - one of the seven last words of Jesus
I am Thirsty
28 Jesus knew that his mission
was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of
sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop
branch, and held it up to his lips. ~ John 19:28-29
Christ even in the
midst of agony and suffering, was aware of fulfilling and finishing the work
God sent Him to do. Never, did we hear
Christ give an utterance of complaint, yet one could think here He complains by
stating “I am thirsty”, not so. Here
Christ deliberately seeks to be obedient.
His declaration of “I am thirsty”
speaks to a greater truth. The truth is
Christ’s thirsting was a thirsting after the glorifying of God and the
accomplishment of the work of our redemption.
Christ statement of
“I am thirsty” reminds us of the man
who was in hell and looked up and asked could Lazarus dip the tip of his finger
in water to cool his tongue; for he was being tormented in the flame (Luke
16:23-25). This man’s torment was all
humanities fate, an eternal thirsty that could never be quenched from the
bitterness of sin’s drink. Yet, had
Christ not called out, “I am thirsty” and taken the bitterness upon his tongue,
we could not taste of the eternal water that quenches our thirst.
Finally, when
Christ took the bitter drink from the hyssop, it was a foreshadowing of the
cleansing of our lives. David in Psalm
51:7 asked God to cleanse him with hyssop and he would be whiter than
snow. Christ takes the sour wine offered
on the hyssop branch so that you and I no longer have to have the bitterness of
sin upon our lives, upon our tongues. We
can speak and know we are cleansed and that words that were once bitter now can
be life giving words. Isaiah said, I am
a man of unclean lips, then God cleanses His mouth and make him able to go
forth and speak the truth (Isaiah 6:5-6).
Today, know that Christ’s sacrifice gave you the ability to not only
live for Him, but also to speak live giving Words, so that your thirsting will
be filled from the fountain of the living water.
John 4:14 ~ But
those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes
a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
Friday, March 1, 2013
Godly Power: Are you ignited?
Godly Power: Are you ignited?
Many things need power to
work. The power comes in many ways;
through electric, or fire for example.
If you are in a dark room you would turn on a lamp or light a candle to
illuminate the darkness. If you want to
feel heat in your home, you fire up your furnace or light the fire place. However, these things will not bring forth
the desired results if you do not ignite the flame or turn on the power source. If you do not ignite the flame within your
furnace for example, you will be cold until the fire is ignited. The power source has to be turned on or
ignited if you want your stove to produce heat to cook your meals. Today, I want us to look at another source of
power, godly power and what happens when it is ignited.
ACTS 1:1-8
**6
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going
to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them:
“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own
authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
~ I wrote about Jesus
(acts 1:1) Former book:
The
book of Acts starts with us reflecting back on the foundation that was set
before us in the “former book.” The book of Luke was written to give a reliable
and precise record of the history of Jesus Christ's
life. Luke paid great attention to
detail, including dates and events that happened throughout the life of Christ. His account shares with us the suffering of
Christ and all He did for us. A theme
that is emphasized in the Gospel of Luke is the humanity of Jesus Christ and
his perfection as a human. Jesus was the perfect man who gave the
perfect sacrifice for sin, therefore, providing the perfect Savior for
humankind. The message of this Gospel was intended for instruction (1:4) for
those among whom the book would be circulated. He wanted to commend the preaching of the
gospel to the whole world.
Act’s
starts, then with a point of reminding the disciples of the foundation that had
already been laid (on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus) and this
foundation is what was now leading them into this new chapter, the building of
the kingdom. For sure, the disciples are
ready and understand fully what is to come, right? Sorry, no, we have a problem…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Then they gathered around him and
asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’”
(Acts 1:6)
~The disciples did not understand the kingdom. They were expecting Jesus
to set up an earthly, Davidic like kingdom where he would appoint them
positions of great honor and esteem.
They did not yet understand that the kingdom was HERE, the godly kingdom
that would never end.
~Today we do not understand the kingdom. We are no different today than the disciples
of Jesus’ time. We still do not fully
understand the kingdom. Many are
expecting Jesus to set up an “earthly domain” for them to rule or a place that
allows them comfort and ease. They are
excepting positions and places where they will be esteemed. Yet, to live for Christ does not always bring
honor and esteem, but ridicule, rejection, persecution and suffering for the
cause of Christ (Acts 15:26).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all
Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Yet, we do
not have to be discouraged! Jesus promises all
that will believe and follow Him the power to carry out the work of the
kingdom. In the scripture above, Jesus
tells the disciples where they will be able to go and do because of the power
being ignited within each of them. (Note:
this same power is available to us today to accomplish the same tasks).
The power of God would make them
able to go to:
Jerusalem
~ they would be able to go to their home town and to the same temples that
crucified Christ. The power would help
them to deal with the different groups and belief systems.
·
The Zealot movement took the
revolutionary option. It advocated outward violence, even armed rebellion, to
rid Israel of Roman oppression. {God’s power would help them tell the people to
stop trusting in their war-plans, and trust in Jesus}
·
The Sadducees were the great
pragmatists (practical thinkers) of the day. As wealthy lay-nobles, priests and
aristocrats, they sought to conserve their wealth and power through compromise
with Rome. Most of the members of the Sanhedrin
were from the Sadducee group. {God’s power would equip them to tell the people to
stop trusting in their money and status, and stop going along to get along. They had to tell them a relationship with
Christ was the only thing of great value.}
·
The Pharisees were in many ways the
idealists of Jewish society. Most of the
Scribes (the 'theologians' of the day) were Pharisees. In general, the Pharisees sought to live a
life of spiritual purity by a meticulous following of the torah (Jewish
law). They did not believe in compromise
with the Romans (as did the Sadducees) or in revolutionary activity (as did the
Zealots). Jesus rebuke of the Pharisees
was because of the emphasis on the law that resulted in legalism which in turn,
became a pretext for hypocrisy. They
believed in the resurrection of the dead. From their perspective, Jesus seemed to
relativize the law which explains their anger towards him. {God’s power would help them tell the people to stop trusting in their
observation of the Law or in their traditions. They had to tell them traditions
don’t save, heal, set free or deliver only a relationship with Christ does.}
·
Finally, there were
the Essenes who solved the
problem of Jewish identity in a Roman-occupied Israel by withdrawing to a
monastic-like setting. They completely
opted out of mainstream Jewish society. The most notable group in Jesus' time was the
Qumran community who lived an ascetic life and was waiting for God's
apocalyptic intervention in human history. {God’s
power in them would help them tell the people to stop withdrawing from the world, from suffering and being
involved, and to get engage in kingdom building.}
Judea – They would be able
to go to the homeland, which was accustomed to Jewish religion, not
Christianity, and share the message that would convert from traditions and
relying on the Laws of Moses, to a faith in Jesus Christ.
For
the ordinary people of the Jewish homeland, Rome was a kind of dominant
political factor. Although they might
not have seen Romans on a day-to-day basis, the imposition of Roman power was
certainly there. Everyone knew that Rome
was the source of both the wealth and also the source of some of the problems
that occurred in the Jewish state. So
the political reality of the day was of a dominant power overseeing the life on
a day-to-day basis. The disciples were empowered to encourage others to trust
God and stop looking at the government as the problem or the savior of their
situations, but look to God.
The Jewish inhabitants of
Samaria identified Mount Gerizim as the chosen place of God and the only center
of worship, calling it the “navel of the earth” because of a tradition that
Adam sacrificed there. Their scriptures were limited to the Pentateuch, the
first five books of the Bible. Moses was
regarded as the only prophet and intercessor in the final judgment. They also believed 6,000 years after creation,
a Restorer would arise and would live on earth for 110 years. On the Judgment Day, the righteous would be
resurrected in paradise and the wicked roasted in eternal fire.
In
the days of Christ, the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans was
greatly strained (Luke 9:52-54;
Luke 10:25-37;
Luke 17:11-19;
John 8:48). The
animosity was so great that the Jews bypassed Samaria as they traveled between
Galilee and Judea. They went an extra distance through the barren land of Perea
on the eastern side of the Jordan to avoid going through Samaria. Yet Jesus
rebuked His disciples for their hostility to the Samaritans (Luke 9:55-56),
healed a Samaritan leper (Luke 17:16),
honored a Samaritan for his neighborliness (Luke 10:30-37),
praised a Samaritan for his gratitude (Luke 17:11-18),
asked a drink of a Samaritan woman (John 4:7), and
preached to the Samaritans (John 4:40-42).
Then in Acts 1:8, Jesus
challenged His disciples to witness in Samaria. Philip, a deacon, opened a
mission in Samaria (Acts 8:5).
The empowerment would help the disciples to
come to the fullness of Christ and heal the differences between them and
the Samaritans.
You may be saying to yourself, “I’m
saved and am filled with God’s spirit, so what does this have to do with me?” Good questions. My question then to you is why aren’t you
igniting or fanning the flame?
2 Timothy
1:6-11
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying
on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed
of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in
suffering {misery to my fleshly man} for the gospel, by the power of God. 9
He has saved us and called us to a holy
life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and
grace.
Fan the fire:
what does that mean? To fan a fire, you must continually give it “air”, oxygen so
that it will continue to grow. If air is cut off from a fire, it will
eventually go out. This means, we must actively allow the “air” the breath of
God, to fuel His Spirit within us. This means, we cannot become comfortable
where we are presently. If we do not
continue to “fan into flame” the gifts in us they can become cold and we can lose
our zeal for telling the gospel message and for kingdom building.
If we examine ourselves and
we are not sharing the gospel with our “neighborhoods”, or “homeland” to our “enemies”
and to the “entire world” we must ask ourselves are we truly fanning the
flame? Are we doing kingdom work or have
we become comfortable within our own “kingdom domains”? Have we become like one of the groups God
sent the disciples back to reach? Have
we withdraw from the world and become a modern day Essenes? Have we become
comfortable reading our Bible and praying, without every looking outside our
church doors to those around us? Have we
become like the Sadducees, wheeling
and dealing to accomplish our own agendas and programs? Have we become like the Pharisees, happy to
promote our traditions and heaven forbid anyone try to do anything
differently. We were not mean to become
like those that the disciples were sent to minister, we were to become the “disciples”
that were sent to make a difference!
Today we need to ask God to
re-ignite our flame for sharing the gospel with a lost and dying world. We need
to ask Him to help us if we have found ourselves conforming to the patterns of
those that Jesus came to change.
Prayer: Lord, forgive us for losing
sight of what kingdom work looks like.
We ask you to reignite us with your power and help us to go into all the
world and share the good news of Christ.
Help us to activate the gifts that are with us. Help us to become true worshippers,
worshiping you in spirit and in truth.
Today we seek to walk in your godly power---ignite us again! Amen.
Resources:
Biblegateway.com. http://www.biblegateway.com/
Carson, D. & Douglas, J. (2005). An Introduction to the New Testament.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Elwell, W. & Yarbrough, R. (2005). Encountering the New Testament. Grand
Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Matthew Henry’s Commentary
of the Whole Bible. (1991). United States: Henrickson Publishers.
Youngblood, R. (Ed.). (1995). Nelsons New
Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville,
TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
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