Willingly and Enthusiastically

Willingly 1 1 17

January 1, 2017
Amazing Life Church
“Willingly and Enthusiastically”
Greet People
Let me begin today, in this new year, by saying
something that I say often, and will continue to say.
Betty and I love you guys. We pray for you daily. Our
thoughts are always on this house and the things that
God has called us, and positioned us to accomplish.
2016 was a great year. It was a time of learning and
reviewing the things of God. A time for examining our
relationship with the Father. I pray that some of you
have found your unwavering faith, and are ready to use
it for the glory of God.
I have been thinking about this 1 st 2017 Sunday for over
a month. My mind has been on so many things from the
scriptures and from Biblical numerology. I had hoped to
share them to day but God has placed upon my heart
another word. “I will share these things during the
month of January as I cast the vision for this house in
2017.”Page 2
We will be making some improvements in certain areas.
“An improvement is a thing that makes something
better.” Improvements that will strengthen and sharpen
our focus. I am excited about the things that God is
speaking. Excited to see the hand of God as it moves us
forward in the Spirit.
My message today is very familiar but I heard the Lord
say, share it one more time because it contains the
foundational principles that will move us forward in our
destiny for 2017. Corporately as a body, and
individually in your personal walk with Christ.
I want to share some thoughts today titled, “Willingly
and Enthusiastically”
Isaiah the 8 th chapter is very interesting. It has some
passages that have a Messianic tone but it is basically
about a season in Judah where they are facing
destruction. The Lord likens the destruction to the
strong and abundant waters of the Euphrates. It will
overcome them and destroy them. “You will find this in
the 1 st 8 verses.”Page 3
Then something awesome occurs. Something small. The
title above verse 9 in the NASB says, “A believing
remnant. Remnant means, a small remaining quantity
of something.”
Isaiah 8:9-10 NASB
9 “Be broken, O peoples, and be shattered;And give ear,
all remote places of the earth. Gird yourselves, yet be
shattered; Gird yourselves, yet be shattered.
10 “Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a
proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”
I love the way the Message Bible says this.
Message 9-10
9 But face the facts, all you oppressors, and then wring
your hands. Listen, all of you, far and near. Prepare for
the worst and wring your hands. Yes, prepare for the
worst and wring your hands!
10 Plan and plot all you want—nothing will come of it.
All your talk is mere talk, empty words, Because when
all is said and done, the last word is Immanuel—God-
With-Us. A boulder blocking your way.
Preach-God with is in every situation and
circumstance. Every tragedy and failure.Page 4
My heart today is this. I must share one more time.
Confirm from the Word one more time. Encourage you
one more time to embrace the Kingdom authority that
God has established by the Finished Work of Christ.
Embrace used as a noun means, “an act of accepting or
supporting something willingly or enthusiastically.”
Preach-Who you are
I have an uncharacteristically long passage of scriptures
to share so bear with me as I read them.
Romans 8:26-39 NASB
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the
Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep
for words;
27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind
of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love God, to those who
are called according to His purpose.Page 5
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to
become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He
would be the firstborn among many brethren;
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and
these whom He called, He also justified; and these
whom He justified, He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is
for us, who is against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered
Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him
freely give us all things?
33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is
the one who justifies;
34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He
who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right
hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 Just as it is written,
“F OR Y OUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL
DAY LONG ;
W E WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED .”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer
through Him who loved us.Page 6
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the love of God, which
is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Preach-Who you are
I thought I was through when I got here but Father
brought a scripture to my mind.
Galatians 2:20 NASB
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I
who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Message
Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I
identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have
been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central.
It is no longer important that I appear righteous before
you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer
driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you
see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Preach-You are loved-You are empowered-You are an
overcomer-Christ lives in you