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New Life COTR Sunday April 29, 2007
PRAYING THE WORD OF GOD
INTRODUCTION: Are you ready for the Word of God, yes or no? The Word of God!
YOU’RE BIBLE! DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THE BIBLE?
2Timothy 3:16(NIV)- “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Your Bible is inspired by God. Your Bible is the heart and mind of God. YOUR BIBLE IS WHAT GOD THINKS!
OUR BIBLE IS POWERFUL! I LOVE THE WORD OF GOD!
Jeremiah 15:16- “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my hearts delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.”
Psalm 119:103- “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”
The Word of God is our Spiritual Food!
Matthew 4:3,4- “The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered, It is written, Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
WE LIVE OFF THE WORD OF GOD!
Joshua 1:7-9- “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it, to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything that is written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU!
Meditate- to utter a sound, moan, meditate, to mutter, the act of thoughtful deliberation with the implication to speaking to oneself.
Psalms 1:1-3- “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”
IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
John 1:1-5, 14(AMP)- In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
Verse 14: And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed his tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we (actually) saw his glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten Son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.”
Colossians 3:16- “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts toward God.”
Dwell- To live within, to be alive (let the Word of Christ be alive within you)
Richly- generously, abundantly
Let the Word of Christ be alive within you abundantly!
TRANSITION: This week we celebrate the National Day of Prayer! We’ll be having a PRAYER SERVICE on our church property Thursday at 6:30pm.
THE THEME IS AMERICA UNITE IN PRAYER
NEW LIFE COTR UNITE IN PRAYER (Show Video)
The Key to Effective Prayer is the Word of God!
John 15:7- “If you remain in me and my Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.”
The Word of God and Prayer work together in a powerful, life-changing, fruit-bearing way!
PRAYING THE WORD OF GOD YEILDS RESULTS!
IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
TRANSITION: What are the possibilities when you WORK THE WORD OF GOD IN PRAYER?
I. THE WORD IN US FUNCTIONS TO GUIDE OUR PRAYERS
1John 5:14,15- “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask –we know that we have whatever we asked of him.”
Perhaps it is the Abiding of the Word of God in us that directs our prayers. And when we pray the will of God the answer comes.
PRAYING THE WORD OF GUIDE GUIDES OUR PRAYERS WHICH LEADS TO ANSWERED PRAYER.
II. THE WORD IN US FUNCTIONS TO BUILD OUR FAITH
Romans 10:17- “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ.”
Mark 11:24- “All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.”
So if faith is essential for prayer and the word abiding in us sustains faith, then PRAYING THE WORD LEADS TO ANSWERED PRAYER!
PRAYING THE WORD HELPS BUILD OUR FAITH WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR ANSWERED PRAYER!
III. THE WORD IN US FUNCTIONS TO TRANSFORM US MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY SO WE WALK IN LOVE
This is the place God answers prayer, rather than in the path of selfishness where he doesn’t.
Psalm 66:18,19- “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”
James 4:3- “When you ask you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Wrong motives, intentionally cherishing or walking in sin cuts off answered prayer.
BUT WHEN THE WORD ABIDES IN YOU
John 8:32- “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
John 17:17- “Sanctify them in the truth, your Word is truth.”
PRAYING THE WORD HELP TRANSFORM AND SANCTIFY ME WHICH LEADS TO HOLINESS AND LOVE AND THEN TO ANSWERED PRAYER.
IF YOU WILL PRAY THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU!
EFFECTIVE PRAYER IS THE OVERFLOW OF THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S WORD ABIDING IN US!
CONCLUSION: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.”
1Chronicles 29:10-20- PRAY THESE SCRIPTURES!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Praying the Word of God - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Crossing Over: Immaturity to Maturity
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New Life COTR Wednesday April 25, 2007
CROSSING OVER
Immaturity to Maturity
Joshua 1:1-18(NIV)
ARISE AND CROSS OVER. Remember that church. (Show Banner)
Crossing Over is a process that every living, growing, healthy church and person will go through at some point.
Such crossings nearly always require major change which at times can be very unsettling.
Crossing Over cannot be avoided. To try and do so would hinder the growth God has planned and abort His purposes.
The Jordan represents the barrier God is calling you to CROSSOVER!
It represents the transition between where you are now and where you want to be! This might apply to you personally as well as the church.
IT MIGHT BE A PLACE OF CROSSING OVER FROM DREAM TO DESTINY. MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN THEIR DREAMS BUT NEVER LIVE IN THEIR DESTINY!
When God says ARISE AND CROSSOVER He is trying to move you into the NEW THING He has for you!
CROSSING OVER IS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION!
As a church it might mean radical changes to the life and structure of the church to breakthrough to the place God is calling you!
There is no way to avoid the challenges and stresses of crossing over.
Just focusing on the “promised land” and preaching sermons about Canaan will not get you there.
Singing songs about where you would like to be will not get you there either!
At some point the rubber has to meet the road and you must engage in the challenge God has before you.
If you don’t you are deceiving yourself and robbing yourself of your destiny in Christ!
YOU CANNOT CROSS OVER ON THE CHEAP, IT WILL COST YOU SOMETHING!
*******When you cross over you won’t bring everybody with you! There will be some who just won’t face the challenge!
God is calling us to advance forward to where He is already waiting on us.
Never move forward in response to voices in the church, especially to those who are pushing and shoving you, JUST LISTEN FOR GOD’S CALL TO PROCEED!
JOSHUA TOLD THE PEOPLE THAT IN THREE DAYS THEY WERE GOING TO CROSS OVER! NOT ONE DAY OR FOUR DAYS BUT IN THREE DAYS!
When it’s God’s time and you get to the point of cross over, BREAKTHROUGH comes!
We must arrive at the place where we have no choice but to proceed!
ARISE AND CROSS OVER!
TRANSITION: Tonight I’m going to give you the first step in CROSSING OVER. How many want to be a CROSS OVER PEOPLE.
Before I give the first step. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING A CROSS OVER PEOPLE?
In the Old Testament we’ve heard the children of Israel called the Hebrew Children!
Hebrew- the root word is “ABAR” (aw-bar) it means “TO CROSS OVER.”
It is impossible for the devil to stop a CROSS OVER PEOPLE
The only thing that can stop a CROSS OVER PEOPLE is CROSS OVER PEOPLE!
Exodus 1:15-22(NIV)
God told Joshua, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.”
What kept the Children of Israel from CROSSING OVER and entering the Promised Land God had for them? Instead they died in the wilderness. THEY DID!!!!
Numbers 14:26-35(NIV)
The devil cannot stop a CROSS OVER PEOPLE!
Example of the disciples going crazy when Jesus had told them to get in the boat and cross over to the other side. A storm arises and the disciples loose it! Jesus stands up and calms the storm and then says, “O ye of little faith.”
NOTHING CAN STOP A CROSS OVER PEOPLE!
TRANSITION: The first step in Crossing Over!
I. SEPARATION- The first step in crossing over.
For God’s people to complete the next phase of their journey, God deemed it necessary to bring one term of leadership to a close and initiate a NEW ONE!
There had to be a separation- a severing of the things of the past, in order to grasp the future.
SEPARATION IS THE FIRST ACT OF POSSESSION
If you want to receive something then you’ve got to let go of something FIRST! It’s a life principle.
(Example of checkbook and money)
The first thing you need to do in order to CROSS OVER is to separate yourself from all the stuff that you cannot take forward with you.
YOU CANNOT HAVE THE PROMISED LAND AND MOSES!
Consider, what the Moses traditions that belong to your past.
Meaningless church programs, things the church keeps doing for no real reason!
YOU MUST BE WILLING TO LET GO!
It’s pointless to hold on to people who don’t want to go with you! It may be God trying to break a spirit of control in the church!
No matter how good the past was the old regime has had it’s day! Those things were relevant for there day.
*****The first thing God told Joshua is that you cannot lead these people the way Moses did!
GOD DID NOT WANT JOSHUA TO LIVE IN THE SHADOW OF MOSES!
(The history of our church, then and NOW!)
Moses death symbolized a separation from the previous way of doing things and all it represented.
THIS IS THE CAHLLENEGE THAT FACES YOU TO IF YOU ARE COMMITTED TO CROSSING OVER AND POSSESSING ALL THAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR YOU!
SEPARATION IS THE FIRST ACT OF POSSESSION!
TRANSITION: What is one thing we can let go of, leave behind, so we can ARISE AND CROSS OVER AND POSSESS THE LAND GOD HAS FOR US?
I. IMMATURITY
Hebrews 6:1-3(NIV)
Let us leave-let us separate from our immature ways and take hold of maturity.
Ephesians 4:14- “Then we will no longer be infant, tossed back and forth and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”
1Corinthains 13:11- “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”
12 SIGNS OF IMMATURITY
1. Ephesians 4:11-13- Tossed too and Fro- Problems dictate your life. Problems are in control of you .
2. Follow winds of doctrine- Spiritual Hobo’s, Don’t have a home, Can’t get planted. Want their ears tickled.
3. Hebrews 5:11-14- Dull of hearing: Don’t value spiritual things, Slow to learn, Spiritual ADD. You must train yourself to listen.
4. Need taught, can’t teach yourself or others. Babies can’t feed themselves or someone else.
5. Need milk and not meat: can’t handle the weighter things of the ministry. If you stay on milk you can only handle so much. Things don’t get easier the greater the ministry.
6. Unskillful in the Word of righteousness: Misapply the Word of God, Hurt people with the Word. Adjust theology to agree own ideas.
7. Do not act on what they hear: Are not faithful with what they hear. Are not faithful with little. Mature people do what they hear.
8. The immature are easily offended. Easily hurt, have to walk on eggshells around. Governed by their emotions. Believe everything they hear instead of believing God.
9. Are unable to discern right from wrong: Ruled by emotions. Mature say: not everything that feels bad is bad. Not everything that feels good is good. The Lord chastens who He loves!
10. 1Corinthians 3:1-9- Envy and jealousy. Desire what somebody else has without doing what God requires to get it. Gossip, slander, to lift yourself up! Jealous of someone else’s title.
11. Strife and division: Romans 16: 17,18 Mark those who cause division and strife. Mark those who talk against leadership.
12. Immaturity cannot receive from other ministry gifts. Can’t receive from other races or genders. Be at church no matter whose preaching.
Let go immaturity and embrace maturity.
New Life COTR Wednesday April 25, 2007
CROSSING OVER
Immaturity to Maturity
Joshua 1:1-18(NIV)
ARISE AND CROSS OVER. Remember that church. (Show Banner)
Crossing Over is a process that every living, growing, healthy church and person will go through at some point.
Such crossings nearly always require major change which at times can be very unsettling.
Crossing Over cannot be avoided. To try and do so would hinder the growth God has planned and abort His purposes.
The Jordan represents the barrier God is calling you to CROSSOVER!
It represents the transition between where you are now and where you want to be! This might apply to you personally as well as the church.
IT MIGHT BE A PLACE OF CROSSING OVER FROM DREAM TO DESTINY. MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN THEIR DREAMS BUT NEVER LIVE IN THEIR DESTINY!
When God says ARISE AND CROSSOVER He is trying to move you into the NEW THING He has for you!
CROSSING OVER IS ABOUT TRANSFORMATION!
As a church it might mean radical changes to the life and structure of the church to breakthrough to the place God is calling you!
There is no way to avoid the challenges and stresses of crossing over.
Just focusing on the “promised land” and preaching sermons about Canaan will not get you there.
Singing songs about where you would like to be will not get you there either!
At some point the rubber has to meet the road and you must engage in the challenge God has before you.
If you don’t you are deceiving yourself and robbing yourself of your destiny in Christ!
YOU CANNOT CROSS OVER ON THE CHEAP, IT WILL COST YOU SOMETHING!
*******When you cross over you won’t bring everybody with you! There will be some who just won’t face the challenge!
God is calling us to advance forward to where He is already waiting on us.
Never move forward in response to voices in the church, especially to those who are pushing and shoving you, JUST LISTEN FOR GOD’S CALL TO PROCEED!
JOSHUA TOLD THE PEOPLE THAT IN THREE DAYS THEY WERE GOING TO CROSS OVER! NOT ONE DAY OR FOUR DAYS BUT IN THREE DAYS!
When it’s God’s time and you get to the point of cross over, BREAKTHROUGH comes!
We must arrive at the place where we have no choice but to proceed!
ARISE AND CROSS OVER!
TRANSITION: Tonight I’m going to give you the first step in CROSSING OVER. How many want to be a CROSS OVER PEOPLE.
Before I give the first step. WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BEING A CROSS OVER PEOPLE?
In the Old Testament we’ve heard the children of Israel called the Hebrew Children!
Hebrew- the root word is “ABAR” (aw-bar) it means “TO CROSS OVER.”
It is impossible for the devil to stop a CROSS OVER PEOPLE
The only thing that can stop a CROSS OVER PEOPLE is CROSS OVER PEOPLE!
Exodus 1:15-22(NIV)
God told Joshua, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life.”
What kept the Children of Israel from CROSSING OVER and entering the Promised Land God had for them? Instead they died in the wilderness. THEY DID!!!!
Numbers 14:26-35(NIV)
The devil cannot stop a CROSS OVER PEOPLE!
Example of the disciples going crazy when Jesus had told them to get in the boat and cross over to the other side. A storm arises and the disciples loose it! Jesus stands up and calms the storm and then says, “O ye of little faith.”
NOTHING CAN STOP A CROSS OVER PEOPLE!
TRANSITION: The first step in Crossing Over!
I. SEPARATION- The first step in crossing over.
For God’s people to complete the next phase of their journey, God deemed it necessary to bring one term of leadership to a close and initiate a NEW ONE!
There had to be a separation- a severing of the things of the past, in order to grasp the future.
SEPARATION IS THE FIRST ACT OF POSSESSION
If you want to receive something then you’ve got to let go of something FIRST! It’s a life principle.
(Example of checkbook and money)
The first thing you need to do in order to CROSS OVER is to separate yourself from all the stuff that you cannot take forward with you.
YOU CANNOT HAVE THE PROMISED LAND AND MOSES!
Consider, what the Moses traditions that belong to your past.
Meaningless church programs, things the church keeps doing for no real reason!
YOU MUST BE WILLING TO LET GO!
It’s pointless to hold on to people who don’t want to go with you! It may be God trying to break a spirit of control in the church!
No matter how good the past was the old regime has had it’s day! Those things were relevant for there day.
*****The first thing God told Joshua is that you cannot lead these people the way Moses did!
GOD DID NOT WANT JOSHUA TO LIVE IN THE SHADOW OF MOSES!
(The history of our church, then and NOW!)
Moses death symbolized a separation from the previous way of doing things and all it represented.
THIS IS THE CAHLLENEGE THAT FACES YOU TO IF YOU ARE COMMITTED TO CROSSING OVER AND POSSESSING ALL THAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR YOU!
SEPARATION IS THE FIRST ACT OF POSSESSION!
TRANSITION: What is one thing we can let go of, leave behind, so we can ARISE AND CROSS OVER AND POSSESS THE LAND GOD HAS FOR US?
I. IMMATURITY
Hebrews 6:1-3(NIV)
Let us leave-let us separate from our immature ways and take hold of maturity.
Ephesians 4:14- “Then we will no longer be infant, tossed back and forth and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”
1Corinthains 13:11- “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”
12 SIGNS OF IMMATURITY
1. Ephesians 4:11-13- Tossed too and Fro- Problems dictate your life. Problems are in control of you .
2. Follow winds of doctrine- Spiritual Hobo’s, Don’t have a home, Can’t get planted. Want their ears tickled.
3. Hebrews 5:11-14- Dull of hearing: Don’t value spiritual things, Slow to learn, Spiritual ADD. You must train yourself to listen.
4. Need taught, can’t teach yourself or others. Babies can’t feed themselves or someone else.
5. Need milk and not meat: can’t handle the weighter things of the ministry. If you stay on milk you can only handle so much. Things don’t get easier the greater the ministry.
6. Unskillful in the Word of righteousness: Misapply the Word of God, Hurt people with the Word. Adjust theology to agree own ideas.
7. Do not act on what they hear: Are not faithful with what they hear. Are not faithful with little. Mature people do what they hear.
8. The immature are easily offended. Easily hurt, have to walk on eggshells around. Governed by their emotions. Believe everything they hear instead of believing God.
9. Are unable to discern right from wrong: Ruled by emotions. Mature say: not everything that feels bad is bad. Not everything that feels good is good. The Lord chastens who He loves!
10. 1Corinthians 3:1-9- Envy and jealousy. Desire what somebody else has without doing what God requires to get it. Gossip, slander, to lift yourself up! Jealous of someone else’s title.
11. Strife and division: Romans 16: 17,18 Mark those who cause division and strife. Mark those who talk against leadership.
12. Immaturity cannot receive from other ministry gifts. Can’t receive from other races or genders. Be at church no matter whose preaching.
Let go immaturity and embrace maturity.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Work the Word and the Word will Work for You - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
Download MP3 audio
New Life Church on the Rock Sunday April 22, 2007
“THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU”
“If you work the Word”
INTRODUCTION: Are you ready for the Word of God, yes or no? You’ve heard me ask this before. Where do we find the Word of God? The Bible!
2Timothy 3:16- “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Your Bible is inspired by God. Your Bible is the mind of God. Your Bible is the heart of God. YOUR BIBLE IS WHAT GOD THINKS.
Your Bible is USEFUL! Valuable, Profitable
Psalm 119:72- “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”
Psalm 119:105- “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.”
THE WORD OF GOD IS VALUABLE, USEFUL. PROFITABLE.
Have you ever been in a place that was total darkness? Were you scared? When we were kids used to drive down Sarah Jane Road at night and turn out the lights.
In the darkness of this world (the tragedy in Virginia) THE WORD OF GOD IS A LIGHT!
2Peter 1:19-21- “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all you must understand that no prophecy of the Scripture came by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Peter once again validates the Bible as being inspired by God. It’s a light that shines in darkness.
We need to fall in love with our Bibles. Read and study our Bibles. Be taught the Bible through teaching and preaching.
THE WORD OF GOD (BIBLE) WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD.
Isaiah 55:10,11- “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
TRANSITION: What should be my attitude toward the Word of God?
Jeremiah 15:16- “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my hearts delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.”
Psalm 119:103- “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Ezekiel 2:8-9, 3:1-4- Turn and Read
ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR THE WORD?
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Before Jesus begins His public Ministry He is led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He fasted 40 days and nights and was tempted by the devil.
The first temptation of the enemy addressed Jesus appetite.
Matthew 4:3,4- “The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered, It is written, Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR THE WORD OF GOD?
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Acts 2:42- “They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching….”
Psalm 1:1-3- “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”
HIS DELIGHT, HIS DESIRE, HIS APPETITE IS FOR THE LAW OF THE LORD!
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD!
TRANSITION: How do I work the Word?
1. Get the Word inside you.
2. Speak the Word
Romans 10:8-10 “But what does it say, The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Colossians 3:16- “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts toward God.”
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
1. Get the Word of God inside you.
2. Speak the Word
3. Practice the Word
Matthew 7:24-27 Turn and Read
CONCLUSION: The Word is the light in Darkness.
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Joshua 1:6-9 Turn and Read
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Share story of Freda Lindsey from Christ For the Nations
New Life Church on the Rock Sunday April 22, 2007
“THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU”
“If you work the Word”
INTRODUCTION: Are you ready for the Word of God, yes or no? You’ve heard me ask this before. Where do we find the Word of God? The Bible!
2Timothy 3:16- “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
Your Bible is inspired by God. Your Bible is the mind of God. Your Bible is the heart of God. YOUR BIBLE IS WHAT GOD THINKS.
Your Bible is USEFUL! Valuable, Profitable
Psalm 119:72- “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”
Psalm 119:105- “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.”
THE WORD OF GOD IS VALUABLE, USEFUL. PROFITABLE.
Have you ever been in a place that was total darkness? Were you scared? When we were kids used to drive down Sarah Jane Road at night and turn out the lights.
In the darkness of this world (the tragedy in Virginia) THE WORD OF GOD IS A LIGHT!
2Peter 1:19-21- “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all you must understand that no prophecy of the Scripture came by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Peter once again validates the Bible as being inspired by God. It’s a light that shines in darkness.
We need to fall in love with our Bibles. Read and study our Bibles. Be taught the Bible through teaching and preaching.
THE WORD OF GOD (BIBLE) WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD.
Isaiah 55:10,11- “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
TRANSITION: What should be my attitude toward the Word of God?
Jeremiah 15:16- “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my hearts delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.”
Psalm 119:103- “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”
Ezekiel 2:8-9, 3:1-4- Turn and Read
ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR THE WORD?
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Before Jesus begins His public Ministry He is led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He fasted 40 days and nights and was tempted by the devil.
The first temptation of the enemy addressed Jesus appetite.
Matthew 4:3,4- “The tempter came to him and said, If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. Jesus answered, It is written, Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR THE WORD OF GOD?
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Acts 2:42- “They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching….”
Psalm 1:1-3- “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.”
HIS DELIGHT, HIS DESIRE, HIS APPETITE IS FOR THE LAW OF THE LORD!
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD!
TRANSITION: How do I work the Word?
1. Get the Word inside you.
2. Speak the Word
Romans 10:8-10 “But what does it say, The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Colossians 3:16- “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts toward God.”
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
1. Get the Word of God inside you.
2. Speak the Word
3. Practice the Word
Matthew 7:24-27 Turn and Read
CONCLUSION: The Word is the light in Darkness.
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Joshua 1:6-9 Turn and Read
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU IF YOU WORK THE WORD
Share story of Freda Lindsey from Christ For the Nations
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Laying Down My Life - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
Download MP3 audio
New Life COTR Wednesday April 11, 2007
Laying Down My Life
INTRODUCTION: A couple of weeks ago we talked about putting off the old man. Something we must do. Before Christ came into our lives it was impossible to put off the old man. But with Christ we can put off the old and put on the new.
Tonight we put off, put on and LAY DOWN. We’re going to talk about what I believe is a very important key to successful ministry and fulfilling your destiny.
We’ll be going to the book of Philippians, a book in which I love!
This is an affectionate letter from Paul to the Philippians commending them for their faith and support.
Paul has very little occasion to acknowledge any problems in the church although 2 quarreling women, Euodia and Syntche, are admonished to settle their differences.
Philippians is called the “happy” letter.
Written in the pages of Philippians is what I believe to be the key to productive, successful, life-giving ministry. The key to really experiencing all that God has for you and the destiny he has prepared for you.
Philippians 1:12-26(NIV)- Turn and Read
Paul said, “I’m torn.” I’m distressed. I’ve got this battle going on inside me.
I have this desire to depart this earth and be with Christ which is far better! Away from the frustrations, the pain, grief, the jail cell. Away from all this. IT’S FAR BETTER!
PAUL IS STRUGGLING WITH A REAL DESIRE!
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He’ll give you the desires of your heart.” Must be God! Not always!
Philippians 2:5- “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
THREE ATTITUDES OF MINISTRY
Remember we’re talking about desires!
1. Ministry about Christ for Christ
2. Ministry about Christ for me
3. Ministry about Christ for people
Which is the best attitude for ministry? Ministry about Christ for Christ!
This is evident in the life of Paul.
Galatians 2:20- “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Paul was saying, I’ve laid down my wants and my desires for the sake of Christ. Everything I do I do to honor Christ and I do it for Him.
Philippians 3:1-11- Turn and Read
Paul was saying, I don’t identify with those things anymore, I LAY THEM DOWN!
MY IDENTITIY IS IN CHRIST! (Illustration with three chairs)
My ministry is about Christ and it is for Christ!
True genuine Christian ministry flourishes in the field of laying down your life!
Matthew 16:24,25- “Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”
Deny- disown (Ministry about Christ for Christ)
BACK IN PHILIPPIANS 1
Paul said I have a real desire to go and be with Christ. He wrote this from a Roman jail!
Verse 24- “but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body”
Verse 25- “convinced of this, I know that I will remain.”
Paul was saying, I have a desire to leave this earth, but I’m laying down my life for the sake of Christ and I’m staying for your sake!
THE HEART OF TRUE MINISTRY!
Matthew 26:39- “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as I will.”
YOU MEAN AT SOME POINT JESUS HAD A DESIRE THAT WASN’T SOMETHING FATHER GOD DESIRED!
Matthew 26:42- “He went away a second time and prayed, My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
John 5:30- “….for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.”
John 6:38- “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”
My ministry is about God for God!
NOW GOING BACK TO THE APOSTLE PAUL IN PHILIPPIANS. Now we’ve discovered the heart of true genuine ministry.
Let’s look at some of the things Paul wrote in Philippians.
Philippians 2:13,14- “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing.”
This is possible when I lay down my life.
Philippians 3:13,14- “Brothers, I do not consider myself as yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
I can do this when I lay down my life.
Philippians 3:4-11- Turn and Read
1. Rejoice
2. Be gentle
3. Don’t worry
4. Be thankful
5. Have peace
6. Think on the right things
7. Be content
THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WHEN WE LAY DOWN OUR LIFE!
Philippians 4:13- “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
CONCLUSION: It’s not about me and it’s not for me! It’s about Christ and for Christ. Let’s lay down our life for His sake. THAT’S WHEN YOU’LL TRULY FIND LIFE AS WE READ ABOVE.
New Life COTR Wednesday April 11, 2007
Laying Down My Life
INTRODUCTION: A couple of weeks ago we talked about putting off the old man. Something we must do. Before Christ came into our lives it was impossible to put off the old man. But with Christ we can put off the old and put on the new.
Tonight we put off, put on and LAY DOWN. We’re going to talk about what I believe is a very important key to successful ministry and fulfilling your destiny.
We’ll be going to the book of Philippians, a book in which I love!
This is an affectionate letter from Paul to the Philippians commending them for their faith and support.
Paul has very little occasion to acknowledge any problems in the church although 2 quarreling women, Euodia and Syntche, are admonished to settle their differences.
Philippians is called the “happy” letter.
Written in the pages of Philippians is what I believe to be the key to productive, successful, life-giving ministry. The key to really experiencing all that God has for you and the destiny he has prepared for you.
Philippians 1:12-26(NIV)- Turn and Read
Paul said, “I’m torn.” I’m distressed. I’ve got this battle going on inside me.
I have this desire to depart this earth and be with Christ which is far better! Away from the frustrations, the pain, grief, the jail cell. Away from all this. IT’S FAR BETTER!
PAUL IS STRUGGLING WITH A REAL DESIRE!
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He’ll give you the desires of your heart.” Must be God! Not always!
Philippians 2:5- “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
THREE ATTITUDES OF MINISTRY
Remember we’re talking about desires!
1. Ministry about Christ for Christ
2. Ministry about Christ for me
3. Ministry about Christ for people
Which is the best attitude for ministry? Ministry about Christ for Christ!
This is evident in the life of Paul.
Galatians 2:20- “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Paul was saying, I’ve laid down my wants and my desires for the sake of Christ. Everything I do I do to honor Christ and I do it for Him.
Philippians 3:1-11- Turn and Read
Paul was saying, I don’t identify with those things anymore, I LAY THEM DOWN!
MY IDENTITIY IS IN CHRIST! (Illustration with three chairs)
My ministry is about Christ and it is for Christ!
True genuine Christian ministry flourishes in the field of laying down your life!
Matthew 16:24,25- “Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”
Deny- disown (Ministry about Christ for Christ)
BACK IN PHILIPPIANS 1
Paul said I have a real desire to go and be with Christ. He wrote this from a Roman jail!
Verse 24- “but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body”
Verse 25- “convinced of this, I know that I will remain.”
Paul was saying, I have a desire to leave this earth, but I’m laying down my life for the sake of Christ and I’m staying for your sake!
THE HEART OF TRUE MINISTRY!
Matthew 26:39- “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as I will.”
YOU MEAN AT SOME POINT JESUS HAD A DESIRE THAT WASN’T SOMETHING FATHER GOD DESIRED!
Matthew 26:42- “He went away a second time and prayed, My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
John 5:30- “….for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me.”
John 6:38- “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.”
My ministry is about God for God!
NOW GOING BACK TO THE APOSTLE PAUL IN PHILIPPIANS. Now we’ve discovered the heart of true genuine ministry.
Let’s look at some of the things Paul wrote in Philippians.
Philippians 2:13,14- “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing.”
This is possible when I lay down my life.
Philippians 3:13,14- “Brothers, I do not consider myself as yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
I can do this when I lay down my life.
Philippians 3:4-11- Turn and Read
1. Rejoice
2. Be gentle
3. Don’t worry
4. Be thankful
5. Have peace
6. Think on the right things
7. Be content
THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WHEN WE LAY DOWN OUR LIFE!
Philippians 4:13- “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
CONCLUSION: It’s not about me and it’s not for me! It’s about Christ and for Christ. Let’s lay down our life for His sake. THAT’S WHEN YOU’LL TRULY FIND LIFE AS WE READ ABOVE.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Arise and Crossover Because the World Needs a Savior - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
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New Life COTR Sunday April 8, 2007
EASTER SUNDAY
“Arise and Crossover”
“The World needs a Savior”
INTRODUCTION: Share some of the history of New Life COTR. Just over 7 years ago this church was in the middle of a storm. Adversity was all around. It was touch and go, would this church survive?
I was called upon to be the next Senior Pastor of New Life COTR. It was a six month transition so during the waiting period I began to seek God for a word for this church.
I knew that if this church was going to survive it needed a Word from God that would sustain it and lift it out of the place of adversity and move it forward to the destiny God had for it.
The Spirit of God led me to Joshua 1 where God is instructing Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land after the former generation had died in the wilderness.
Joshua 1:1-9(NIV)- Turn and Read Joshua 3:14-17(NIV)
The children of Israel had every reason to fail but they trusted and obeyed God and even though they faced a Jordan River at flood stage they CROSSED OVER with the help and power of God.
From this passage of scripture the Word God gave me for this church was ARISE AND CROSSOVER!
We faced a Jordan River of adversity, hurt and pain that was at FLOOD STAGE!
THIS CHURCH NEEDED A SAVIOR. NOT JUST ANY SAVIOR BUT A RISEN SAVIOR!
IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD AND “ARISE AND CROSSOVER” WE WOULD NEED THE POWER OF A RISEN SAVIOR!!!
Romans 6:14- “By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.”
There is a power from God, that same power that raised Christ from the dead that is available to us today!
TRANSITION: Yes, New Life COTR needed a Savior and needed to experience the power of a risen Savior.
Here we are today, over 7 years later! Making an impact all over the world!
No matter whom you are and no matter what you’re facing, the power of a risen Savior is here to help you and give you hope.
Romans 15:13- “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
DO YOU NEED THE POWER OF A RISEN SAVIOR TODAY?
Romans 6:4(NIV)- “…..just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
TRANSITION: New Life COTR answered the call to ARISE AND CROSSOVER and that is why we’re where were at today!
BUT TODAY WE FACE ANOTHER JORDAN RIVER! A RIVER THAT SEEMS TO BE AT FLOODSTAGE.
On North Highway 105 just outside the city limits of Vidor is a piece of property that awaits a new church building.
OUR RIVER JORDAN IS BEFORE US.
THE WORD FROM GOD TODAY IS STILL THE SAME AS SEVEN YEARS AGO AND THAT WORD IS “ARISE AND CROSSOVER”!!!!!
ARISE AND CROSSOVER AND BUILD THE NEW CHURCH!
Today, that same power is available to us that we experienced seven years ago!
But here’s the difference!
Seven years ago we needed a Savior but today God says, “ARISE AND CROSSOVER AND BUILD THE NEW CHURCH BECAUSE THE WORLD NEEDS A SAVIOR!
The world needs to experience a RISEN SAVIOR! The power of a risen Savior!
That power is available to us today!
Ephesians 1:18-23- Turn and Read
CONCLUSION: New Life COTR- It’s time to ARISE AND CROSSOVER, THE WORLD NEEDS A SAVIOR!
If you’re here today and you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior I pray that I’ve wakened in you your need for a Savior.
Does it look impossible! If God can raise Jesus three day dead body from the grave he can change your life and give you hope and a reason to live.
It’s time for you to crossover from death to life!
John 1:12- “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Acts 2:21- “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord we be saved.”
New Life COTR is here today because YOU NEED A SAVIOR!
NEW LIFE COTR, IT’S TIME TO “ARISE AND CROSSOVER” THE WORLD NEEDS A SAVIOR!
New Life COTR Sunday April 8, 2007
EASTER SUNDAY
“Arise and Crossover”
“The World needs a Savior”
INTRODUCTION: Share some of the history of New Life COTR. Just over 7 years ago this church was in the middle of a storm. Adversity was all around. It was touch and go, would this church survive?
I was called upon to be the next Senior Pastor of New Life COTR. It was a six month transition so during the waiting period I began to seek God for a word for this church.
I knew that if this church was going to survive it needed a Word from God that would sustain it and lift it out of the place of adversity and move it forward to the destiny God had for it.
The Spirit of God led me to Joshua 1 where God is instructing Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land after the former generation had died in the wilderness.
Joshua 1:1-9(NIV)- Turn and Read Joshua 3:14-17(NIV)
The children of Israel had every reason to fail but they trusted and obeyed God and even though they faced a Jordan River at flood stage they CROSSED OVER with the help and power of God.
From this passage of scripture the Word God gave me for this church was ARISE AND CROSSOVER!
We faced a Jordan River of adversity, hurt and pain that was at FLOOD STAGE!
THIS CHURCH NEEDED A SAVIOR. NOT JUST ANY SAVIOR BUT A RISEN SAVIOR!
IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD AND “ARISE AND CROSSOVER” WE WOULD NEED THE POWER OF A RISEN SAVIOR!!!
Romans 6:14- “By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.”
There is a power from God, that same power that raised Christ from the dead that is available to us today!
TRANSITION: Yes, New Life COTR needed a Savior and needed to experience the power of a risen Savior.
Here we are today, over 7 years later! Making an impact all over the world!
No matter whom you are and no matter what you’re facing, the power of a risen Savior is here to help you and give you hope.
Romans 15:13- “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
DO YOU NEED THE POWER OF A RISEN SAVIOR TODAY?
Romans 6:4(NIV)- “…..just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
TRANSITION: New Life COTR answered the call to ARISE AND CROSSOVER and that is why we’re where were at today!
BUT TODAY WE FACE ANOTHER JORDAN RIVER! A RIVER THAT SEEMS TO BE AT FLOODSTAGE.
On North Highway 105 just outside the city limits of Vidor is a piece of property that awaits a new church building.
OUR RIVER JORDAN IS BEFORE US.
THE WORD FROM GOD TODAY IS STILL THE SAME AS SEVEN YEARS AGO AND THAT WORD IS “ARISE AND CROSSOVER”!!!!!
ARISE AND CROSSOVER AND BUILD THE NEW CHURCH!
Today, that same power is available to us that we experienced seven years ago!
But here’s the difference!
Seven years ago we needed a Savior but today God says, “ARISE AND CROSSOVER AND BUILD THE NEW CHURCH BECAUSE THE WORLD NEEDS A SAVIOR!
The world needs to experience a RISEN SAVIOR! The power of a risen Savior!
That power is available to us today!
Ephesians 1:18-23- Turn and Read
CONCLUSION: New Life COTR- It’s time to ARISE AND CROSSOVER, THE WORLD NEEDS A SAVIOR!
If you’re here today and you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior I pray that I’ve wakened in you your need for a Savior.
Does it look impossible! If God can raise Jesus three day dead body from the grave he can change your life and give you hope and a reason to live.
It’s time for you to crossover from death to life!
John 1:12- “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Acts 2:21- “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord we be saved.”
New Life COTR is here today because YOU NEED A SAVIOR!
NEW LIFE COTR, IT’S TIME TO “ARISE AND CROSSOVER” THE WORLD NEEDS A SAVIOR!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Isaiah's Call - Chris Isaac
Download MP3 audio
Isaiah’s Call
New Life COTR, Wednesday 4/4/07
Isa 6:1-8
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
(NIV)
I) Introduction
A) Our text is Isaiah 6, but we will be referring as well to John’s vision of the throne of God, and if you want to look it up it can be found in Revelation 4
1) I would encourage you to read it later
B) I want you to notice what happens in Isaiah’s vision
1) He sees God in all His Glory
2) He observes the Angels worshiping God
3) He becomes aware of his own inadequacies
4) He become purified by God
5) He receives his call
C) This is not my sermon, but it could be. Here we see God’s outline for calling someone to do His work
1) They get a vision of who God is
2) They are purified by God
3) They receive their call
D) Some of you today may be wondering why God hasn’t given you you’re calling…
1) I would encourage you to look here for an example
2) Than seeking a vision of your calling
3) Seek a vision of who God is
4) Then seek purity
5) And the calling will come
II) The worshiping of God
A) But tonight is not about receiving your calling
1) Instead I want to focus on the subject of Holiness
B) The first real action that takes place in Isaiah’s vision is the angels worshiping of God
1) This is really fascinating to me
2) The angels are in the very presence of God
3) This is not the time or the place to discuss the differences in the relationship between God and man versus God and the Angels
4) But they are more keenly aware of who God is than us
5) They are in His very presence
C) And what is the first thing they say to worship who God is
1) Holy, Holy, Holy
2) This is repeated in John’s vision in the book of Revelations
(a)John describes seeing 4 living creatures
(b)And they are worshiping God saying…
Rev 4:8b
8 … "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
(NIV)
3) So often when we go to worship
(a)We praise God for His loving kindness, or His mercy
(b)This is not to diminish the love of God in anyway
(c) But the first thing on the minds of the Angels, and other spiritual beings was not God’s love, but His holiness
(d)So what is it about God’s holiness that deserves this kind of attention
D) What is holiness
1) Webster’s defines it as the condition of being holy
(a)Not very helpful
(b)Holy is defined as to be set apart for religious use
2) But the Hebrew word used here is qadowsh (kaw-doshe')
(a)Which means sacred, clean and purified
(b)The implication is that God is clean and pure
(c) Clean from what
(d)Clean and pure of all sin
3) Sin is what separates us from God, but understand something here
(a)Sin is not just an action
(b)The 10 commandments tell us not to commit adultery, that adultery is sin
(c) But Jesus taught us that to even look at a woman with impure thoughts is the same as adultery, it’s still sin
(d)likewise in Ezekiel we are given a glimpse of the time before Lucifer was cast out
Ezek 28:15
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
(NIV)
(e)The Bible says he was perfect not until he did something wrong, but when wickedness was found in him
(f) Sin is not just a verb it is also a noun
(g)In other words, it’s not just an action, but an attitude of the heart
III) Isaiah’s Cry
Isa 6:5
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
(NIV)
A) His decree
1) I am a man of unclean lips
2) I dwell among a people of unclean lips
3) My eyes have seen God
4) Now I went to look at this a little out of order, because Isaiah never realized the problem with the first two issues until after he had seen God
B) My eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty
1) Holiness is not defined by wearing the right clothes, or saying and doing the right things
2) Holiness begins and ends with a vision of who God is
3) There can in fact be no holiness without God
4) I heard someone say once when I was in Bible school
(a)If there is a God in Heaven, then why do the innocent suffer
(b)To which the reply was
(c) If there is no God, then what makes them innocent, and why should we care if they suffer
5) Our entire sense of morality, what’s right and what’s wrong was taught to us by God.
(a)It began in the Garden of Eden where we first learned not that we shouldn’t always indulge the appetites of the flesh
(b)Later in Genesis we learned through Cain and Abel the importance of controlling our emotions
(c) Still later God gave us the 10 commandments
(i) these were not simple rules to live by
(ii)they were the moral code upon which civilization was to be based upon
6) Now here in the New Testament area we have seen a clearer picture of who God is through His work on the cross
(a)And with that comes a clearer picture of the moral code upon which we live our live
(b)It’s not enough to not commit murder, now we are taught not to hate
(c) It’s not enough to bring sacrifices, now we must obey in our heart
(d)It’s not enough to simply follow the rules and regulations of our religion, now we must do it with a pure heart
(e)And it all starts with seeing God
7) I believe some of us here tonight have over the course of this fast begun to see God more clearly
(a)And with it has come a revelation
(b)About who God is
(c) About who we are
(d)And the gap in between those two revelations
(e)And what is our response to this revelation
C) Isaiah cried out “woe to me” for I am a man of unclean lips
1) What did this mean, did Isaiah cuss a lot
2) Maybe, but there are more ways than that to have unclean lips
3) How often do we speak out of anger
(a)And say the first thing that comes to our mind
(b)Especially to our families
(c) What about at work
4) When we look at our lives
(a)Do we look and say we’ll I’m doing pretty good at living the Christian life
(b)This is prompted by the fact that all to often we are comparing ourselves to other Christians
(c) And not looking at God for our comparison
(d)The fact of the matter is that when we compare ourselves to God, no matter how hard we try to live a pure life we fall far short of true holiness
Rom 7:15
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
(NIV)
(e)That was Paul speaking, surely he got closer to god than any of us, and yet he still struggled
1 Pet 1:15-16
15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
(NIV)
(f) God is calling us to holiness
(i) the problem is we get lost in the definition
(ii) because we are using man as our guide for holiness
(iii) when we need to be looking at God
(g)My question to you today is when you look at your life what do you see
(i) This is not meant to be condemning
• And I hope it isn’t coming across that way
(ii) But is your life a pure and undefiled vessel that God can use
(iii) Because when we look at God, and not man for our example of holiness we all fall short of the mark
D) Isaiah said something else fascinating in this passage. He cried out that “I belong to a people of unclean lips”
1) I don’t have the enough time to dwell on this point
(a)And that’s a shame
(b)Because it is an often overlooked facet of our Christian walk
2) But we live in nation that calls itself Christian
(a)But is far from Godly
(b)We belong to a people of unclean lips
(c) And whether we realize it or not, that affects us, and our walk with God
3) I don’t know how it is at your job
(a)But I can’t go 5 minutes at my job without hearing a cuss word
(b)I can’t go an entire day without hearing somebody bragging about the sin in their life
(i) Talking about the person they had sex with
(ii) How they got back at someone who did them wrong
(iii) or how they hate this person or that person
(c) Spiritually these things affect us
(d)They weigh on us
Heb 12:1
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
(NIV)
(e)They so easily entangle us.
(i) This is not saying that we are engaging in that sin
(ii) But that that sin as reached out to grab us and entangle us
4) I liken this to a man who works out on a farm
(a)And he’s out there taking care of the animals
(b)Working out in the hot sun
(c) And at the end of the day he comes home sweaty, and smelling like the animals he’s working with
(d)And what’s the first thing his wife wants him to do?
(i) Take a bath
(e)Why, because the environment that he has to work in has affected his relationship with his wife
(i) This doesn’t mean that the man did anything wrong
(ii) And it doesn’t mean that the wife doesn’t love him
5) Let me give you another example from the Bible
(a)In the old testament there is actually a law that states when you go outside of the camp to take care of “your business” you need to take a shovel with you in order to bury “the business”
(b)There is also a law that states if you touch anything “unclean” then you yourself are now unclean and must go offer sacrifices in order to be made clean again
(c) So let’s say you are just out there walking along minding your own business, and you step in something
(d)you are now unclean, through no fault of you own
(e)Why?
(f) Because God want pure and undefiled vessels for His use.
(i) Purified not only of the sins we have committed
(ii) But also purified of the sins of those around us
6) We don’t have time to look at it now
(a)But read the book of Nehemiah
(b)Focus on his prayers
(c) And see how he prays and ask God for forgiveness for his sins, but moreover for the sins of the nation
(d)Why, because he is a part of the nation
IV) The Last thing I want to key on tonight is the purification that takes place in Isaiah’s life
A) The Bible says that one of the cherubim flew down and took a coal off of the altar and touched Isaiah’s lips, and with that he was purified
1) Revelation says that on this altar were the prayers of the saints
2) Now I’m not going to try and overanalyze this matter
3) But I will tell you that if you want purity and holiness in your life, there’s going to have to be some prayer involved
B) I’m not talking about the kind of prayer you say over dinner
1) You know where a lot of times we just gloss over the words, to show reverence, but in reality our heart is not on God, but on dinner
2) I’m talking about pouring your heart out before God kind of prayers
3) The nothing held back kind of prayer
4) The kind of prayer where we say Lord, nothing else matters, but having a pure and undefiled heart before God
(a)Not my job
(b)Not my ministry, or position in the church
(c) Not my social standing
C) Because here’s the point
1) God took Isaiah through this in order make him a pure vessel for his service
(a)After he was purified, then God called him to his ministry
2) God wants to use you
(a)But first He wants to purify you
3) God wants to use this church
(a)But first there will come a purification of our hearts
4) Before Israel received the promised land of Canaan God first told Joshua to circumcise the people.
V) Conclusion
A) We are coming to the end of a 21 day fast
1) And we have drawn closer to god in that time
(a)I know, I see it especially playing out in our worship.
(b)I also hear as I talk to people about how there fast is going
2) But God has not brought us to this fast, and indeed through this fast just so we can loose weight, and feel good about ourselves
3) God is preparing us for service, both on an individual level, and as a corporate body.
B) But I believe that through this fast many of us have seen God.
1) And with that has come a fresh revelation of who He is
2) And also a fresh revelation of who we are in the natural
C) And satan has used this revelation,
1) And the holy conviction that accompanies it to condemn some of you here
2) And some of you through the course of this fast have felt guilty
3) And you don’t understand why
D) God’s not mad at you
1) He’s not angry with you
E) God brought Isaiah to the throne room of Heaven to purify him, not to condemn him
1) Tonight he wants to bring you into the throne room as well
Isaiah’s Call
New Life COTR, Wednesday 4/4/07
Isa 6:1-8
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
(NIV)
I) Introduction
A) Our text is Isaiah 6, but we will be referring as well to John’s vision of the throne of God, and if you want to look it up it can be found in Revelation 4
1) I would encourage you to read it later
B) I want you to notice what happens in Isaiah’s vision
1) He sees God in all His Glory
2) He observes the Angels worshiping God
3) He becomes aware of his own inadequacies
4) He become purified by God
5) He receives his call
C) This is not my sermon, but it could be. Here we see God’s outline for calling someone to do His work
1) They get a vision of who God is
2) They are purified by God
3) They receive their call
D) Some of you today may be wondering why God hasn’t given you you’re calling…
1) I would encourage you to look here for an example
2) Than seeking a vision of your calling
3) Seek a vision of who God is
4) Then seek purity
5) And the calling will come
II) The worshiping of God
A) But tonight is not about receiving your calling
1) Instead I want to focus on the subject of Holiness
B) The first real action that takes place in Isaiah’s vision is the angels worshiping of God
1) This is really fascinating to me
2) The angels are in the very presence of God
3) This is not the time or the place to discuss the differences in the relationship between God and man versus God and the Angels
4) But they are more keenly aware of who God is than us
5) They are in His very presence
C) And what is the first thing they say to worship who God is
1) Holy, Holy, Holy
2) This is repeated in John’s vision in the book of Revelations
(a)John describes seeing 4 living creatures
(b)And they are worshiping God saying…
Rev 4:8b
8 … "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
(NIV)
3) So often when we go to worship
(a)We praise God for His loving kindness, or His mercy
(b)This is not to diminish the love of God in anyway
(c) But the first thing on the minds of the Angels, and other spiritual beings was not God’s love, but His holiness
(d)So what is it about God’s holiness that deserves this kind of attention
D) What is holiness
1) Webster’s defines it as the condition of being holy
(a)Not very helpful
(b)Holy is defined as to be set apart for religious use
2) But the Hebrew word used here is qadowsh (kaw-doshe')
(a)Which means sacred, clean and purified
(b)The implication is that God is clean and pure
(c) Clean from what
(d)Clean and pure of all sin
3) Sin is what separates us from God, but understand something here
(a)Sin is not just an action
(b)The 10 commandments tell us not to commit adultery, that adultery is sin
(c) But Jesus taught us that to even look at a woman with impure thoughts is the same as adultery, it’s still sin
(d)likewise in Ezekiel we are given a glimpse of the time before Lucifer was cast out
Ezek 28:15
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
(NIV)
(e)The Bible says he was perfect not until he did something wrong, but when wickedness was found in him
(f) Sin is not just a verb it is also a noun
(g)In other words, it’s not just an action, but an attitude of the heart
III) Isaiah’s Cry
Isa 6:5
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
(NIV)
A) His decree
1) I am a man of unclean lips
2) I dwell among a people of unclean lips
3) My eyes have seen God
4) Now I went to look at this a little out of order, because Isaiah never realized the problem with the first two issues until after he had seen God
B) My eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty
1) Holiness is not defined by wearing the right clothes, or saying and doing the right things
2) Holiness begins and ends with a vision of who God is
3) There can in fact be no holiness without God
4) I heard someone say once when I was in Bible school
(a)If there is a God in Heaven, then why do the innocent suffer
(b)To which the reply was
(c) If there is no God, then what makes them innocent, and why should we care if they suffer
5) Our entire sense of morality, what’s right and what’s wrong was taught to us by God.
(a)It began in the Garden of Eden where we first learned not that we shouldn’t always indulge the appetites of the flesh
(b)Later in Genesis we learned through Cain and Abel the importance of controlling our emotions
(c) Still later God gave us the 10 commandments
(i) these were not simple rules to live by
(ii)they were the moral code upon which civilization was to be based upon
6) Now here in the New Testament area we have seen a clearer picture of who God is through His work on the cross
(a)And with that comes a clearer picture of the moral code upon which we live our live
(b)It’s not enough to not commit murder, now we are taught not to hate
(c) It’s not enough to bring sacrifices, now we must obey in our heart
(d)It’s not enough to simply follow the rules and regulations of our religion, now we must do it with a pure heart
(e)And it all starts with seeing God
7) I believe some of us here tonight have over the course of this fast begun to see God more clearly
(a)And with it has come a revelation
(b)About who God is
(c) About who we are
(d)And the gap in between those two revelations
(e)And what is our response to this revelation
C) Isaiah cried out “woe to me” for I am a man of unclean lips
1) What did this mean, did Isaiah cuss a lot
2) Maybe, but there are more ways than that to have unclean lips
3) How often do we speak out of anger
(a)And say the first thing that comes to our mind
(b)Especially to our families
(c) What about at work
4) When we look at our lives
(a)Do we look and say we’ll I’m doing pretty good at living the Christian life
(b)This is prompted by the fact that all to often we are comparing ourselves to other Christians
(c) And not looking at God for our comparison
(d)The fact of the matter is that when we compare ourselves to God, no matter how hard we try to live a pure life we fall far short of true holiness
Rom 7:15
15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
(NIV)
(e)That was Paul speaking, surely he got closer to god than any of us, and yet he still struggled
1 Pet 1:15-16
15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;
16 for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
(NIV)
(f) God is calling us to holiness
(i) the problem is we get lost in the definition
(ii) because we are using man as our guide for holiness
(iii) when we need to be looking at God
(g)My question to you today is when you look at your life what do you see
(i) This is not meant to be condemning
• And I hope it isn’t coming across that way
(ii) But is your life a pure and undefiled vessel that God can use
(iii) Because when we look at God, and not man for our example of holiness we all fall short of the mark
D) Isaiah said something else fascinating in this passage. He cried out that “I belong to a people of unclean lips”
1) I don’t have the enough time to dwell on this point
(a)And that’s a shame
(b)Because it is an often overlooked facet of our Christian walk
2) But we live in nation that calls itself Christian
(a)But is far from Godly
(b)We belong to a people of unclean lips
(c) And whether we realize it or not, that affects us, and our walk with God
3) I don’t know how it is at your job
(a)But I can’t go 5 minutes at my job without hearing a cuss word
(b)I can’t go an entire day without hearing somebody bragging about the sin in their life
(i) Talking about the person they had sex with
(ii) How they got back at someone who did them wrong
(iii) or how they hate this person or that person
(c) Spiritually these things affect us
(d)They weigh on us
Heb 12:1
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
(NIV)
(e)They so easily entangle us.
(i) This is not saying that we are engaging in that sin
(ii) But that that sin as reached out to grab us and entangle us
4) I liken this to a man who works out on a farm
(a)And he’s out there taking care of the animals
(b)Working out in the hot sun
(c) And at the end of the day he comes home sweaty, and smelling like the animals he’s working with
(d)And what’s the first thing his wife wants him to do?
(i) Take a bath
(e)Why, because the environment that he has to work in has affected his relationship with his wife
(i) This doesn’t mean that the man did anything wrong
(ii) And it doesn’t mean that the wife doesn’t love him
5) Let me give you another example from the Bible
(a)In the old testament there is actually a law that states when you go outside of the camp to take care of “your business” you need to take a shovel with you in order to bury “the business”
(b)There is also a law that states if you touch anything “unclean” then you yourself are now unclean and must go offer sacrifices in order to be made clean again
(c) So let’s say you are just out there walking along minding your own business, and you step in something
(d)you are now unclean, through no fault of you own
(e)Why?
(f) Because God want pure and undefiled vessels for His use.
(i) Purified not only of the sins we have committed
(ii) But also purified of the sins of those around us
6) We don’t have time to look at it now
(a)But read the book of Nehemiah
(b)Focus on his prayers
(c) And see how he prays and ask God for forgiveness for his sins, but moreover for the sins of the nation
(d)Why, because he is a part of the nation
IV) The Last thing I want to key on tonight is the purification that takes place in Isaiah’s life
A) The Bible says that one of the cherubim flew down and took a coal off of the altar and touched Isaiah’s lips, and with that he was purified
1) Revelation says that on this altar were the prayers of the saints
2) Now I’m not going to try and overanalyze this matter
3) But I will tell you that if you want purity and holiness in your life, there’s going to have to be some prayer involved
B) I’m not talking about the kind of prayer you say over dinner
1) You know where a lot of times we just gloss over the words, to show reverence, but in reality our heart is not on God, but on dinner
2) I’m talking about pouring your heart out before God kind of prayers
3) The nothing held back kind of prayer
4) The kind of prayer where we say Lord, nothing else matters, but having a pure and undefiled heart before God
(a)Not my job
(b)Not my ministry, or position in the church
(c) Not my social standing
C) Because here’s the point
1) God took Isaiah through this in order make him a pure vessel for his service
(a)After he was purified, then God called him to his ministry
2) God wants to use you
(a)But first He wants to purify you
3) God wants to use this church
(a)But first there will come a purification of our hearts
4) Before Israel received the promised land of Canaan God first told Joshua to circumcise the people.
V) Conclusion
A) We are coming to the end of a 21 day fast
1) And we have drawn closer to god in that time
(a)I know, I see it especially playing out in our worship.
(b)I also hear as I talk to people about how there fast is going
2) But God has not brought us to this fast, and indeed through this fast just so we can loose weight, and feel good about ourselves
3) God is preparing us for service, both on an individual level, and as a corporate body.
B) But I believe that through this fast many of us have seen God.
1) And with that has come a fresh revelation of who He is
2) And also a fresh revelation of who we are in the natural
C) And satan has used this revelation,
1) And the holy conviction that accompanies it to condemn some of you here
2) And some of you through the course of this fast have felt guilty
3) And you don’t understand why
D) God’s not mad at you
1) He’s not angry with you
E) God brought Isaiah to the throne room of Heaven to purify him, not to condemn him
1) Tonight he wants to bring you into the throne room as well
