DON’T LIMIT GOD–OUR SECURITY IS IN HIM
People fear making mistakes. This really comes down to the fact that they aren’t secure in Jesus. They are afraid because their identity and worth is caught up in what they do. But that’s not the way it should be. We need to find our security and identity in our relationship with God. If my ministry failed and I had to go back to pouring concrete for a living, I know that God would still love me. I could have a wonderful relationship with Him without a ministry. My identity is not in my ministry. That is not what I am. That is just a vehicle that God has given me to use while I’m on the earth.
from DON’T LIMIT GOD by Andrew Wommack
“Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice.” Ex. 19:18 (NKJV)
“I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.” Rev. 10:1 (NKJV)
There is much said in the Bible about clouds and trumpets. Many of these references concern the appearance or presence of the Lord God. The first Scripture above is talking about the meeting of God and Moses on the mountain of the Law. It was such an event the people begged Moses to make it stop. They were in fear and trembling at what they experienced. When God showed up in the Old Testament, it was usually a sight to behold. If you had any doubt as to whether God was angry with you, it was an uncomfortable feeling. We need that same respect toward God today. Ask yourself this question. If God appeared in His awesome Glory, would I want to be there?
The second verse talks about the appearance of a mighty angel. The description of his visage paints a picture that would send chills down anyone’s spine. Most of the Gospels give us a view of Jesus in His humanity, but occasionally His “Glory” breaks through. The primary event is the Mount of Transfiguration where He glowed like the sun. We must learn to see Jesus in all His splendor because He will return in the clouds with power and great glory. He will not return as a cute baby or a mild and meek carpenter but as the Lord of Glory.
Are you ready to face the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? In I John 4:18 it says that perfect love casts out fear. The way we can stand at the coming of the Lord is by knowing without a doubt that He has perfect love toward us as His children. On the other hand, the world will shrink from Him in fear because there is no love relationship with Him. His first coming was in love but His second coming is in judgment. Are you ready? Are you ready, for the Judgment Day?”
CRUSHING THE HEAD OF THE OPPRESSION
Look to other books for information but look only to the Bible for transformation. Many Christians spend more time reading the newspaper than they read the Bible. The Bible will not be a dry book if you know the Author. In every step, in every stride, I will let the Saviour be my guide, His word, His love, and I will embrace and let His wisdom set the pace.
An oppressor is a tyrant, tormentor, bully, scourge, and slave-driver. It is God’s will for our oppressor’s head to be crushed. It is God’s will for us to conquer, overcome, overpower, and subdue all our oppressors.
“Thank You, Lord, for crushing the oppressor under my feet.”
from GOD’S STRENGTH FOR THE DAY by Dr. Daniel O.C. Bishop of AEGA
Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV Finally, let the Lord make you strong. Depend on His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor. Then you can stand firm against the devil’s evil plans. Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities, and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stnd up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing.”
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it. Isaiah 43:18-19
How many times are we held back in entering into God’s best for us because of past blessings or failures. Past blessings can hold us back because we are wanting the same thing again. So we put God in a box that this is how He is always going to do it. We may miss on the new that God is wanting to do. Praise God for the past blessing but I believe God is doing a new thing. This is a new day.
Past failures can hold us back. Maybe we tired and it did not work out the way we prayed and believed God for. Paul tells us in Philippians chapter 3 “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things that are before.”
Let’s forget about the past-the good, or not so good -it is nothing compared to what God is doing and going to do. This a new day!!!
For I breathing on you and in my breath I birth a new day and new opportunities. You have thought it is over I am not going to try again. I tried and it did not work out look at what happen. But the Lord says to you that it was in your own strength. But now is the time to try again. For I AM renewing strength were there has been none, I AM renewing the vision again. So take a deep breath and breath out the old and breath in the new. Feel the fresh wind of my Spirit, and receive my visitation today. For in my visitation I AM breaking old traditions that have you set to do things one way for so long you have thought there was no other way. But I AM making streams in the desert and causing things to bloom again for you. Breath again my sons and daughter, yes breath again! For I have come to set upon you and you will bloom again and see my glory. It is not over.
Church I feel in my spirit a reversal taking place. It is our time.
I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES
Behavior is a mirror in which we show our image. There is nothing truly great in any man except character. The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out. Character is not made in a crisis but only exhibited.
Because my Redeemer lives, therefore I will overcome. I am more than a conqueror because my Redeemer lives. I endure all things because my Redeemer lives. I am not defeated because my Redeemer lives.
(from Dr. Daniel O.C., Bishop in AEGA)
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth.” Job 19:25
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” John 17:14-16(NKJV)
Things have really changed in the last fifty years. Even then the world recognized the moral position of the church. I am not saying that there was no conflict between Biblical beliefs and worldly ideas but most of secular society still respected Biblical ideas and standards even if they did not live by them. They were willing to admit they were sinning against God and much of their activity in these areas were hidden and kept as secret as possible.
Things that were “done in secret” then are now being done openly and with no sense of guilt. The world has a different position these days. They not only refuse to live by Biblical standards but actively work to silence the Christian voice. The idea of recognizing sin but still doing it has changed to denying that it is even sin at all.
Homosexuality has always been around since Genesis. Even though people were involved in it, they still knew it was sin. Why? It was because the Bible says so. Now man has “realized” that it is just a normal part of life for some people. If people lived together without being married, they would hide it if possible. Now it is treated like it is no big thing, and society doesn’t even notice.
Has the church become so much like the world in an effort to attract them that we have lost our convictions? The church has no right to mistreat sinners, but we have standards from the Bible that cannot be lowered to attract them. If we become like the world in order to attract the world, what are we going to offer them that will change their lives when they do come? If we preach and live a Jesus life, we are certainly “not of this world.”
“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10
Mother’s Day is a special time for honoring those women who have made life possible. This is a secular event and not a Scripture inspired activity. In other words Mother’s Day is not part of church history. Someone came up with the idea of honoring mothers. The church thought it was a good idea, and it was incorporated as part of this May holiday in the Sunday service. I like the idea and the reason behind it.
A ministry named “Proverbs 31 Women” took Proverbs 31:10-31 to show 10 characteristics of a virtuous woman. Don’t condemn yourself if you think you are not living up to par. Just use these ideas as building blocks for your life of virtue and God will help you succeed.
- Faith – A Virtuous Woman serves God with all of her heart, mind, and soul. She seeks His will for her life and follows His ways. (Proverbs 31: 26, Proverbs 31: 29 – 31, Matthew 22: 37, John 14: 15, Psalm 119: 15)
- Marriage – A Virtuous Woman respects her husband. She does him good all the days of her life. She is trustworthy and a helpmeet. (Proverbs 31: 11- 12, Proverbs 31: 23, Proverbs 31: 28, 1 Peter 3, Ephesians 5, Genesis 2: 18)
- Mothering – A Virtuous Woman teaches her children the ways of her Father in heaven. She nurtures her children with the love of Christ, disciplines them with care and wisdom, and trains them in the way they should go. (Proverbs 31: 28, Proverbs 31: 26, Proverbs 22: 6, Deuteronomy 6, Luke 18: 16)
- Health – A Virtuous Woman cares for her body. She prepares healthy food for her family. (Proverbs 31: 14 – 15, Proverbs 31: 17, 1 Corinthians 6: 19, Genesis 1: 29, Daniel 1, Leviticus 11)
- Service – A Virtuous Woman serves her husband, her family, her friends, and her neighbors with a gentle and loving spirit. She is charitable. (Proverbs 31: 12, Proverbs 31: 15, Proverbs 31: 20, 1 Corinthians 13: 13)
- Finances – A Virtuous Woman seeks her husband’s approval before making purchases and spends money wisely. She is careful to purchase quality items which her family needs. (Proverbs 31: 14, Proverbs 31: 16, Proverbs 31: 18, 1 Timothy 6:10, Ephesians 5: 23, Deuteronomy 14: 22, Numbers 18: 26)
- Industry – A Virtuous Woman works willingly with her hands. She sings praises to God and does not grumble while completing her tasks. (Proverbs 31: 13, Proverbs 31: 16, Proverbs 31: 24, Proverbs 31: 31, Philippians 2: 14)
- Homemaking – A Virtuous Woman is a homemaker. She creates an inviting atmosphere of warmth and love for her family and guests. She uses hospitality to minister to those around her. (Proverbs 31: 15, Proverbs 31: 20 – 22, Proverbs 31:27, Titus 2: 5, 1 Peter 4: 9, Hebrews 13: 2)
- Time – A Virtuous Woman uses her time wisely. She works diligently to complete her daily tasks. She does not spend time dwelling on those things that do not please the Lord. (Proverbs 31: 13, Proverbs 31: 19, Proverbs 31: 27, Ecclesiastes 3, Proverbs 16: 9, Philippians 4:8 )
- Beauty – A Virtuous Woman is a woman of worth and beauty. She has the inner beauty that only comes from Christ. She uses her creativity and sense of style to create beauty in her life and the lives of her loved ones. (Proverbs 31: 10 Proverbs 31: 21 – 22, Proverbs 31: 24 -25, Isaiah 61: 10, 1 Timothy 2: 9, 1 Peter 3: 1 – 6)
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20(NKJV)
This is a portion of Scripture we refer to as “The Great Commission” as use it as a point of reference with regard to evangelism by the church. There are many ways to practice the command to “Go”. One of the ways is what we will hear about this morning. This is not new to us any more than the Scripture I used. But we all need to be reminded about doing what we can.
We have a Gideon member with us today that is doing his part at his own expense to keep the “Great Commission” vision active. The Gideon organization has taken Bibles around the world making it possible to teach all nations about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that we here in the United States have multitudes of commentaries and study books that we can use to study the Word of God.
But, what would it be like if the only thing you had was one Bible? Would you have enough information to know Jesus and how to live a Christian life? The answer is “yes.” The Bible needs no help in presenting the message of life in Christ. All the other sources are like gravy with the Bible being the meat. The Bible itself reminds us that it is “meat of the word.”
You may never have the opportunity to set foot on foreign soil, but you can plant a seed that someone from the Gideons can carry for you. You can start the process today by putting your financial “seed” in the special offering taken at the end of today’s service.
“Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things send from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And My God shall supply ALL YOUR need according to His riches in glory by CHRIST Jesus.”
Philippians 4:18-19(NKJV) AMEN!
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