Sign in or 
| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 6 2008, 1:45 AM EST (current) | johnnybranch | 8 words added, 2 photos added |
| Jan 6 2008, 1:44 AM EST | johnnybranch | 23 words added |
Changes
Key: Additions Deletions
With the New Year (2008) now underway, I thought it would be nice to begin a page about what we might, as individual believers, and as the church, expect to do for God, and what we would like to see God do. - Pastor
You may scroll to the bottom of this page to reply to my first discussion thread, or perhaps to start your own thread.
Bible Gateway Search Tool
Here is the text of my last sermon of 2007:
John 16: 33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Another year has come and gone. Each of us has experienced a mixture of joy and sadness. Each of us has probably experienced both blessing and difficulty. The true test of Christ’s character in us is whether or not we have held fast to our savior who suffered much so that we could be overcomers.
It is through our own steadfastness that we become an inspiration to the hurting people around us. It is our testimony of faith in Christ and in our redemption that people can find hope for a better life.
Revelation 12:10-12 (New International Version)
10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
For those who are redeemed by Christ, the devil shall not overpower us. He may scheme and lie, and set up traps for us, but through the power of almighty God, he will surely be defeated. One day, we will hear the angels in heaven rejoicing and celebrating our victory over Satan. The testimony of our faith and victory will be proclaimed throughout eternity.
If there is one thing on my mind as I lead you into this new year, it is that we should help rescue as many people from the devil’s clutches as possible. We should win more souls to Christ than ever before.
That new sanctuary that is under construction is built in faith that Living Water Church will help build the kingdom of God. It is a statement that we want to see souls saved.
The devil wants to distract us from this mission. He will attack each of us where it hurts. He will wage war on our bank accounts, on our families, and even on our own bodies. When these attacks come, hold fast.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hold fast so you can be an overcomer who can help others overcome. When you are defeated, you are of no help to others in need. You have hope. People who are lost in sin have no hope. Remembering that there are many others who are in a far worse situation than you can inspire you to grab on to those bootstraps and pull.
God gives us a clear directive when it comes to helping the suffering.
Isaiah 56
Salvation for Others
1 This is what the LORD says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
Maintain justice.
Justice is defined as the quality of being fair and reasonable. Is it fair that there are starving people in our community? Is it reasonable that children live neglected in chaotic families? The Lord commands us to maintain justice. He wants us to be people who will bring relief to the suffering.
The devil will want you to focus on your own hurts and needs. He wants us to live life unto ourselves, forsaking all others. By giving in to our own fears of failure, we say to others, “God is powerless, or perhaps he doesn’t really care about any of us.” But those who stay true to the power of God will be blessed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
Let us live after those words. We are children of God, therefore we are blessed and we walk in his favor. Proclaim that position every day, and live in it.
There are those who believe God is not interested in them, or that God cannot meet there needs. They believe their sin has excluded them from sharing in any part of his Kingdom. They live bound to their guilt. You live beside them, work with them, or perhaps you sit in a classroom with them. The devil has sold them on a lie that keeps them from seeking after the only hope they have. Prophecy against the lie and proclaim the will of God for them to be saved.
3 Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree."
4 For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant-
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
The use of the words “foreigners and eunuchs” was indicative of outsiders. How many of us have felt like outsiders. How about the lost and hurting? They surely feel on the outside. God’s will for them is to be saved. God’s future for them lies in his favor and blessing. What you must tell them is that they must accept his salvation and then hold fast to his grace and promises.
6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."
God’s promises are for all people. He says to hold fast and to live in his promise, no matter who you are, or who you have been. He will make them part of his family, heirs with his son, Jesus. His house is our house. His house is their house.
Imagine if this church was grown by just one new soul for each who are already part of this church family. Wouldn’t that be a dramatic increase? Now imagine that growth multiplied exponentially. That is God’s will.
8 The Sovereign LORD declares he who gathers the exiles of Israel: "I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered."
In this new year let us consider the lost and hurting. They need Jesus. How will they be saved? They will be led to Christ by people like you. People who have overcome the devil’s attacks, people who have held fast to Christ Jesus and the power of his love.
They will be encouraged by people of God who seek to bring justice to an unfair world. People who will meet their needs out of compassion.
They will be invited to become part of a spiritual family who will accept them no matter who they are, or who they have been. They will become people who are valued by God and by those of us who once were where they have been.
Bible Gateway Search Tool
You may scroll to the bottom of this page to reply to my first discussion thread, or perhaps to start your own thread.
Bible Gateway Search Tool
Here is the text of my last sermon of 2007:
John 16: 33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Another year has come and gone. Each of us has experienced a mixture of joy and sadness. Each of us has probably experienced both blessing and difficulty. The true test of Christ’s character in us is whether or not we have held fast to our savior who suffered much so that we could be overcomers.
It is through our own steadfastness that we become an inspiration to the hurting people around us. It is our testimony of faith in Christ and in our redemption that people can find hope for a better life.
Revelation 12:10-12 (New International Version)
10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. 12Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
For those who are redeemed by Christ, the devil shall not overpower us. He may scheme and lie, and set up traps for us, but through the power of almighty God, he will surely be defeated. One day, we will hear the angels in heaven rejoicing and celebrating our victory over Satan. The testimony of our faith and victory will be proclaimed throughout eternity.
If there is one thing on my mind as I lead you into this new year, it is that we should help rescue as many people from the devil’s clutches as possible. We should win more souls to Christ than ever before.
That new sanctuary that is under construction is built in faith that Living Water Church will help build the kingdom of God. It is a statement that we want to see souls saved.
The devil wants to distract us from this mission. He will attack each of us where it hurts. He will wage war on our bank accounts, on our families, and even on our own bodies. When these attacks come, hold fast.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hold fast so you can be an overcomer who can help others overcome. When you are defeated, you are of no help to others in need. You have hope. People who are lost in sin have no hope. Remembering that there are many others who are in a far worse situation than you can inspire you to grab on to those bootstraps and pull.
God gives us a clear directive when it comes to helping the suffering.
Isaiah 56
Salvation for Others
1 This is what the LORD says: "Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
Maintain justice.
Justice is defined as the quality of being fair and reasonable. Is it fair that there are starving people in our community? Is it reasonable that children live neglected in chaotic families? The Lord commands us to maintain justice. He wants us to be people who will bring relief to the suffering.
The devil will want you to focus on your own hurts and needs. He wants us to live life unto ourselves, forsaking all others. By giving in to our own fears of failure, we say to others, “God is powerless, or perhaps he doesn’t really care about any of us.” But those who stay true to the power of God will be blessed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."
Let us live after those words. We are children of God, therefore we are blessed and we walk in his favor. Proclaim that position every day, and live in it.
There are those who believe God is not interested in them, or that God cannot meet there needs. They believe their sin has excluded them from sharing in any part of his Kingdom. They live bound to their guilt. You live beside them, work with them, or perhaps you sit in a classroom with them. The devil has sold them on a lie that keeps them from seeking after the only hope they have. Prophecy against the lie and proclaim the will of God for them to be saved.
3 Let no foreigner who has bound himself to the LORD say, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people." And let not any eunuch complain, "I am only a dry tree."
4 For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant-
5 to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off.
The use of the words “foreigners and eunuchs” was indicative of outsiders. How many of us have felt like outsiders. How about the lost and hurting? They surely feel on the outside. God’s will for them is to be saved. God’s future for them lies in his favor and blessing. What you must tell them is that they must accept his salvation and then hold fast to his grace and promises.
6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."
God’s promises are for all people. He says to hold fast and to live in his promise, no matter who you are, or who you have been. He will make them part of his family, heirs with his son, Jesus. His house is our house. His house is their house.
Imagine if this church was grown by just one new soul for each who are already part of this church family. Wouldn’t that be a dramatic increase? Now imagine that growth multiplied exponentially. That is God’s will.
8 The Sovereign LORD declares he who gathers the exiles of Israel: "I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered."
In this new year let us consider the lost and hurting. They need Jesus. How will they be saved? They will be led to Christ by people like you. People who have overcome the devil’s attacks, people who have held fast to Christ Jesus and the power of his love.
They will be encouraged by people of God who seek to bring justice to an unfair world. People who will meet their needs out of compassion.
They will be invited to become part of a spiritual family who will accept them no matter who they are, or who they have been. They will become people who are valued by God and by those of us who once were where they have been.
Bible Gateway Search Tool
