“Birthing a Movement-Willingness to Obey”

“Birthing a Movement-Willingness to Obey”

Obedience to day is generally defined this way, “compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.” Let me share a couple of thoughts for you to ponder throughout this message.

1^st-Willingness to obey is not always active obedience. By definition it is willing to obey. We have a constant duty to obey basic Christian principles.

Beyond these basic principles there will be times when God gets very specific with us and gives us a mission or dream. A purpose with cost, that will only bear fruit if we obey.

Willingness is defined as, “the quality or state of being prepared to do something” The short version of willingness to obey is, “ready to comply.”

2^nd-For our purpose today, Willingness to obey means. “The responsibility to be in position to quickly be dispatched to an assignment.”

Isaiah 6:1-8 NASB

1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”

4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.

7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

There is a lot of stuff going on in these passages. Isaiah was having a vision of the glory of the Lord. In the 1st 5 chapters he had already had a vision. Saw a word from God. Prophesied the removal of leaders and in chapter 4 he shared his version of the Branch coming. Branch being the Messiah. In chapter 5 he shared prophetically a parable from the Lord.

Isaiah was a prophet. Seen visions and heard from the Lord. Now he found himself in one of his visions. In that vision he was in the very presence of God and His heavenly Glory. This is what he said.

Isaiah 6:5 Message

I said, “Doom! It’s Doomsday! I’m as good as dead! Every word I’ve ever spoken is tainted – blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate. And here I’ve looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!”

The word unclean is translated from a Hebrew word which means, “impure with a reference that says ethically and religiously.”

The word lips is of course relating to the lips. It also means language or speech.

Sounds to me like Isaiah was hanging with the guys too much. Talking about folks. Questioning God about who would deliver and when. Maybe he was trying to get everybody to like him. Who knows. Yet from what we do know, by his own admission. His mouth was a problem.

The NT has a couple of things to say about this.

Matthew 12:34 NASB

You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

James 3:2 NASB

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

There is a statement that holds true still today. Isaiah recognized it. Christ taught it, and James confirmed it.

If our lips are not clean, neither is our heart!!!

When we get in the presence of God everything about us is revealed. Perhaps that is why some are satisfied just to be near His presence.

I am not quite finished with Isaiah.

He cried out when he saw himself for who he was. God in His mercy sent an angel with a coal from the fire. It was a holy fire. He touched the prophets lips and said your sin is forgiven. Isaiah may not have been aware of it but at that moment he was positioned to be dispatched on an assignment. But was he willing to obey. Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”

I can imagine there was a pause. The angels leaning forward, eyes fastened on Isaiah to hear the reply. His mouth cracked open slightly and the noise hushed.

“Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

“If you can use me, knowing me. Then send me” Flawed and failed

“What if God gave you a vision of being in the same room?” Would you like what you saw?

What Must We Do?

What Must We Do?

I read an article the other day with some very disturbing statistics. The article said that in America, approximately 200 million people do not go to church. It went on to say that many of these have never even been to church.

Now I am something of a simple guy who believes the answer to most problems is really not that complicated. If you read very many of my sermon notes you will find two things that appear regularly.

First you will find that I love the church. It is the hope for the world. Revealing Jesus and telling His story is the way the church was built by the Apostles, and the only real way to continue to build it today.

Secondly you will also find this. I believe that we must accept much of the blame for this decline in church attendance. The Gospel has been changed from it’s original meaning. The word means good news, and Vines dictionary goes on to define good news. The telling of the story of the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

The message has become Jesus plus whatever someones agenda is. The message should be just Jesus.

I am not saying that we ignore or change the things in the Bible that we must leave behind to follow Christ.

I am saying that we must give unbelievers a picture of someone that loves them like they are, and will help them to become who He wants them to be.

I love Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”

Jesus said He was the light of the world. John 8:12. “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

But wait. Matthew 5:14-15. “14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”

If Jesus is the light of the world, and He has transferred that to His church. Then we are responsible to be the light. Instead of crying out at the overwhelming darkness. “Shine the light of Christ Brighter”

As Pastors we must teach Biblical principles. Theology that will create hunger and thirst for the things of God. We must move our congregations from the elementary principles to the deep things of Kingdom Authority.

Yet our mission as a singular world wide Body Of Christ is to multiply.

2 Peter 2:9. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

So, What Must We Do? John 6:27-29.

27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Be blessed and Favored by His Amazing Grace.

What’s On The Table Today?

Thanks for taking time to Visit Living Hope

As a Pastor I have to prioritize my time. Everyone in ministry, business, or jobs with great responsibility understands this. We choose priorities each day. The things that we need to accomplish to fulfill our responsibilities. Pastors also have to deal with the unexpected events that can happen on a daily basis.

We have an awesome example in Christ of staying focused on His purpose, yet stopping along the way to answer a call of faith or meet a need.

Jesus said in John 4:34 NASB. “Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.“

We must understand, as Jesus did, that every thing that comes our way is an opportunity to touch a life for the Kingdom of God.

If there is a tool that should be utilized more than any other it is prayer. Many times our days are ending before we have ever found time to get alone and pray. I dealt with this for many years. I meant to set a time, stop for a while and pray. Something always came up and before I knew it the day was done. Time to rest and start again.

Finally my hunger and thirst for more of Jesus took over. I had to set a time where there was a much smaller chance of interruption. Almost 2 years ago I began to set my alarm for 2:30 am. It wasn’t long before I was waking at 12:30 or  1.

I can say with a huge amount of thanksgiving that this hour or so everyday has changed my life and my ministry.

There is no way to duplicate the effect that prayer has on our lives. The connection with God is strengthened. Revelation becomes clearer and more often. We must not overlook the life and ministry of Jesus. He often found Himself getting alone to pray. It must be our example today.

If we really want to serve our congregations. Fulfill our purpose and do the will of the Father. We must find the time to get alone and pray.

So let me end today with a question. Is there something on the table that can wait, so you can get alone and pray?

Have a blessed day. Full of favor and grace.

Feeling of Expectation

I want to thank you for visiting today.

It is my constant prayer to encourage and strengthen the Body of Christ. With the broader desire to reach those who are struggling with faith. Revealing Jesus in the same manner that the Apostles did from Acts forward.  “Telling the story of the birth, life, death, resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus.”

Today I want to share some thoughts on hope. Hope is defined today as, “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.”

Pastor’s deal almost daily with people who are struggling with life and the circumstances and tragedies that can quickly overwhelm a person. Often these things create a battle against the hope we have in Jesus and the Gospel. Questions arise. Why is this happening? How do I deal with this?

Real questions that need real answers. As Christians we have placed our hope in Christ. It is Living Hope. Shared in so many ways by the Lord Himself as recorded in the Gospels.

Matthew shared these passages from the prophet Isaiah.

Matthew 12:18-21 NASB

¹⁸ “Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
¹⁹ “He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
²⁰ “A battered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory.
²¹ “And in His name the Gentiles will hope.”

The word hope in the passage comes from the Greek word “elpizo.” It means to hope, hopefully, to trust in.

In the Book of Acts Peter quoted from Psalms 16.

Acts 2:25-27 NASB

²⁵ For David says of Him,‘I saw the Lord always in my presence; For He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
²⁶ ‘Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;
²⁷ Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

The word hope in this passage comes from the Greek word, “elpis.” It means, expectation of good, on hope, in hope, having hope.

Throughout our lives we will be challenged with life events. Some we will see coming and some will be completely unexpected. This is life. It is also why Jesus came as He did. To experience the things that we experience. This is why the words of the Gospel bring hope. Then Hope becomes faith. Faith strengthens the love we have for Him and our world. 

The very one we place our hope in understands our pain. Let hope move you forward in 2017. Stand fast, believing in your dreams. Trusting in His Word.

Hope Lives in the story of Jesus. Tell it everywhere you go.

 

 

 

Thank God For A Tree

Thank God For A Tree

While praying recently God reminded me of the story of Zaccheus. He also asked a challenging question that I will share in a moment.

If you went to Sunday School as a child you have probably heard the story and sang the song about Zaccheus. That wee little man that climbed a tree so he could see Jesus. The story is found in Luke 19 verses 1-10. I want to read you three from the middle.

Luke 19:3-5 NASB

3 Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.

4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way.

5 When Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.”

The question that came to my mind has two parts. First, what is keeping you from seeing Jesus.

In life there are so many distractions that can keep us from seeing Jesus. We know He is there and concerned for our circumstances but we can only see the interference.

Everyday living brings us great joy as we follow Christ but it also brings the unexpected. An unanticipated financial need. A child in trouble. A friend or family member that receives a startling medical diagnosis. In the midst of living our lives things can come our way that at least temporarily block our vision of Jesus.

Very quickly our enemy will take advantage of our circumstances. Where was God, he will tell us. This is all your fault, God won’t help you. Every possible discouraging and hurtful word will come to your mind. Sometimes from the people that you look to for support.

So all of a sudden you can’t see Jesus. The second part to the question is what are you going to do about it. Zaccheus and his answer was simple. Climb a tree. That would elevate him above the crowd. The circumstances of his height would no longer be a problem.

Your solution is not very different than His. You have to evaluate your circumstances. Look at the interference as nothing more than a distraction. No matter how serious an event has taken place there is a way to rise above it.

It may take some time and some effort. Prayer and support from your church family and friends. There may even be times that in your life experiences you will have to stand alone. Remember that in Christ you are never alone.

Let me leave you with this. God placed the tree that Zaccheus would climb long before he needed it.

He has also placed in your life a means to rise above your circumstances. You must have faith and put that faith to work. Climb out of your depression and do what you can to change the circumstances. Put Jesus in your line of sight.

Sometimes it can be hard, difficult to hold on. Almost like climbing a tree.

Thy Kingdom Come

Kingdom authority and Dominion is a wonderful gift that God has transferred to those who believe.

I have preached it, heard it preached, and read books on the subject. I have read of, and experienced the transformation power of Kingdom living. I have noticed something missing in many manuscripts that has always concerned me. With much thought and prayer I want to  share a few words about the King of the Kingdom.

In particular His humility and service to those around Him. There will be some who will disagree with my next statement but I pray they will prayerfully consider it.

Kingdom living and Dominion is not all about ruling. It is also about service. Serving our churches, our communities, and our world.

Jesus said it better than me in John 13:12-15.

“So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.”

Understanding who He is and what He did is crucial,

Jesus should be our example for every aspect of our lives. In every day living. In tragedies and discouragement. He has felt every feeling we could ever have. From heart breaking sadness to inexpressible victory He has left us a very clear picture of Dominion and Kingdom authority. Thy Kingdom Come Thy Will Be Done

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