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New Life COTR Wednesday May 30, 2007
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
Part 2
INTRODUCTION: Next week we’re going to be focusing on having a Healthy Family. We’ll begin with the marriage. “Do you want a marriage that rocks, instead of a marriage on the Rocks?
Life is all about relationships. But countless people are in relationships that need a miracle. Every day we see shattered relationships. Husband and wife, parent and children, sisters and brothers, neighbors and co-workers who aren’t talking to each other, church members who don’t like each other.
Many people are settling for mediocre relationships! Relationship pain continues to grow in America.
Approximately children every day hear these words from their parents. “WE’RE GETTING A DIVORCE. Or words like this, mommy or daddy aren’t going to live here anymore.
In ten years, that can translate into negatively affecting more than 7 million relationships. THIS HAS TO STOP.
Relationships were designed by God. It’s a God idea. We were all created with the capacity, with the desire, with the need to have healthy relationships.
You and I will never fulfill our God given destiny outside of healthy relationships.
Very seldom to you see someone who doesn’t want to be connected to others. To love and be loved, to share dreams and hopes, to be valued.
Everyone longs for emotional, physical, and spiritual closeness and intimacy with others. Where does that longing come from? God created us for relationships!
How do we know this, let’s go back to the beginning.
Genesis 2:15-25- Turn and Read
Adam was the first person God created. He must have felt in harmony with God and the creation. He had an intimate connection with both.
The Garden of Eden was a true paradise, a safe place to exist. There was no war, famine or natural catastrophes or sin.
God gave Adam everything he needed: work to do, a close relationship with his Creator, everything he needed to take care of himself.
YET GOD SAID, “IT’S NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE.
God has also planted deep within man the desire for an emotional and physical connection, a bonding of the inner spirit, an intimate attachment of the soul called human relationship!
God created woman and the two became one flesh and enjoyed the Garden of Eden TOGETHER! They had relationship with one another and God!
Yet they sinned and disobeyed God and when God questioned them about their sin Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the devil. Neither was willing to take responsibility!
Their perfect relationships were shattered, with one another and with God!
TRANSITION: From this story we learn about what it takes to have healthy relationships.
Three things you must understand if you’re going to have healthy relationships.
1. You are made for relationships
2. You are made with the capacity to choose
3. You are made to take responsibility for yourself
Understanding these three things can revolutionize your life and your relationships.
First thing you need to really understand.
I. YOU ARE MADE FOR RELATIONSHIPS
While we choose HOW we’ll participate in relationships, we have no choice whether or not we’ll participate in relationships.
Your only real choice is whether you will work to make your relationships healthy, or whether you will hinder them or enhance them.
You are made for three kinds of relationships. 1. With others- 2. With yourself- 3. With God.
Each of these relationships is not only important but they are all interrelated. If one of these relationships is out of balance the others will be as well.
WE ARE MADE FOR RELATIONSHIPS! The first thing you’ve got to understand if you’re going to have healthy relationships.
TRANSITION: The next thing to understand if you’re going to have healthy relationships
II. YOU ARE MADE WITH THE CAPACITY TO CHOOSE
You can’t always choose your relationships-you didn’t choose your parents your siblings or your children-but you can choose how you will act in those relationships.
One of the statements people make in troubled relationships is “I HAVE NO CHOICE.”
Two sisters have a heated argument, and the older one vows she will never speak to the younger until she apologizes. She fumes, I HAVE NO CHOICE!
A husband is unfaithful, and the wife files for divorce, all the while crying, I HAVE NO CHOICE.
A man feels betrayed by a business partner and shuts down the relationship claiming, I HAVE NO CHOICE.
A person is the member of a church and is repeatedly offended by another members comments. He gets frustrated and leaves the church saying I HAVE NO CHOICE!
God gave you the power to choose. So when it comes to how you will respond in a relationship that has hit rough waters, never tell yourself, I HAVE NO CHOICE! That’s a lie. The truth is, you do have a choice, lots of choices.
*****Here’s why so many people struggle with this issue. Choice equals change!
Making a choice is often difficult because it requires change. And that change can be threatening. CHOICE EQUALS CHANGE!
Sometimes it just comes down to making a choice. You have to take control of your life, stop being a victim of your past, and start moving on to something new. You have to make a choice. You have to change. Even when the change is scary!
NOT CHOOSING IS ITSELF A CHOICE.
The mistake so many of us make in our relationships is to think that if we just let things stay as they are, if we can postpone making a choice, making a change, then we can get through a difficult experience.
We fail to realize that by not making critical choices we are choosing. By not doing anything we force change to be done to us.
What will you choose? Will you choose to act in ways that hinder or enhance your relationships? The choice you make will affect everything about your life.
It doesn’t matter what others do to me or what circumstances I face everyday, I determine all of my feelings, sad or happy, by what I choose to think and how I choose to react to what happens to me. NOW THAT’S TRUE FREEDOM!
TRANSITION: The key to healthy relationships. 1. You were made for relationships, 2. You were made with the capacity to choose.
III. YOU ARE MADE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF
The Story of Adam and Eve is the story of us. They were made to take responsibility for themselves. But after they disobeyed God they violated that truth.
When faced with the consequences of their choices, neither Adam nor eve was willing to take responsibility. Each pointed the finger at someone else. WE’RE LIKE THAT!
When we find ourselves in relationship difficulties, we point the finger and say, it’s him or it’s her.
One of the keys to experiencing healthy relationships is realizing you must take personal responsibility for your actions and choices.
It’s far too easy for us to slip into the pattern set way back in the Garden of Eden: blame the other person.
Proverbs 19:3- “A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord.”
YOU ARE MADE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF!
2Corinthians 5:10- “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”
Romans 14:10-13 Turn and Read
CONCLUSION: Life is relationships; the rest is just details. God made you for relationships. You can’t change that. You work either with or against this truth, but you can’t choose whether it exists.
The only choice you have is whether you will work to make those relationships great or allow them to cause you-and others-great pain.
1. You were created for relationships
2. You were created with the capacity to choose
3. You were created to take responsibility for yourself
IT’S NEVER JUST ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON
1Peter 4:10- “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’ grace in its various forms.”
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Healthy Relationships, Part 2 - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
Sunday, May 27, 2007
The Power of Your Words - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
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New Life COTR Sunday May 27, 2007
THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS
John 16:12-15(NIV) Turn and Read
John 8:32- “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”
Some of you are about to discover that YOUR WORDS have kept you in prison for years. But from this series of sermons you’re going to learn how YOUR WORDS can set you free from that prison.
YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER; THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS.
There are no new truths, we are just going to discover or be reminded of “a truth” in the Word of God.
So lets not miss this core truth in the Bible-YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER!
If we ignore this truth we do it to our own peril. Words, written or spoken, are clearly powerful things to God.
In the scripture there is a wealth of wisdom and insight about the power of your words and together we are going to explore that.
You’re about to learn how to use the power of words to change your life!
Do you know that you really do mean what you say!
Matthew 12:34- “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
(NLT)- “for whatever is in your heart determines what you say.”
Many people don’t need the devil to destroy their lives; they do it with their own words!
So let’s take the truths of the Word of God and apply them to our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit so everything can begin to change for the better!
TRANSITION: I’m going to share some basic truths that will help form a foundation for everything else we’re going to explore.
WHY ARE WORDS SO POWERFUL?
Joseph Conrad- “Word’s have set whole nations in motion…..Give me the right word and the right accent and I will move the world.”
Words are CONNECTORS. Words have the capacity to build bridges, span chasms and shorten long distances between you and others.
BUT WORDS NOT ONLY CONNECT YOU WITH PEOPLE THEY ALSO CONNECT YOU WITH GOD!
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL, THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS
John 4:24- tell us that God is a Spirit.
When God, who is a Spirit, created the heavens and the earth, or the natural, THE VEHICLE GOD USED IN THE SPIRIT REALM TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN IN THE NATURAL WAS WORDS!
In the opening lines of Genesis 1:3- we read “The God said, Let there be light, and there was light.”
Over and over in the first three chapters of Genesis as God is creating the universe we see these words “THEN GOD SAID...”
God didn’t wave His hand or swing a magic wand. He spoke the material world into existence.
In the first 25 verses of the book of Genesis God simply speaks, and things happen!
Then in the following verses we see God speaking once more.
Genesis 1:26,27- “Then God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness……So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him: male and female He created them.”
Because God has the creativity and the ability to create with His Words, so do we.
In the next verse we get even more detail about the miracle of mankind’s creation.
Genesis 2:7- “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Living being- the Hebrew root word is “speaking spirit.”
God created the man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him and man became a “SPEAKING SPIRIT.”
We’re not just dust from the ground or just physical beings; we have a spiritual component as well. “We are speaking spirits.”
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL, THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS
We’re the only living species on earth that can communicate our hearts, feelings, dreams, hopes and plans!
There’s something creative and powerful about our speaking. That’s why it’s so important we learn to control our tongues.
Your tongue is a loaded weapon that carries the very power of life and death to our relationships, our lives and our future.
Proverbs 18:21- “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it, will eat its fruit.”
Proverbs 13:3- “He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”
Proverbs 18:8- “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”
Proverbs 26:20- “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.”
Proverbs 20:19- “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
Why would the Bible says things like this?
YOUR WORDS ARE POWERFUL; THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS.
TRANSITION: When mankind was separated from God because of sin, when there was a chasm between us and God, how did God connect with us?
How did God connect with us?
John 1:1,14- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us….”
The Word became flesh, the spiritual became natural.
Psalm 107:20- “He sent His Word and healed them and delivered them from destruction.”
God came to us through His Word, his Son Jesus Christ.
God is constantly bridging the gap between us with His Word!
*******Thus it shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that we are supposed to CONNECT WITH GOD THROUGH OUR WORDS!
Psalm 100:1-5- Turn and Read
All these actions are expressed through words and connect us with God!
The reason Satan doesn’t want you to be vocal in your praise to God is because he knows those kinds of words connect you to God in an awesome way!!
Here’s the simple truth: The only people who experience the full glory and joy of God’s presence are thankful people!
Satan will do everything he can to keep you from expressing words of gratitude and praise!
Frankly the devil wants you to be a grumbler! Why? Because grumbling is an expression of unbelief and ingratitude, two ways to short circuit God’s power in your life!
PRAISE ON THE OTHER HAND IS AN EXPRESSION OF FAITH AND GRATITUDE!
Not only does praise connect you to God but so does prayer!
Ephesians 6:18- “pray in the Spirit always.”
1Thessalonains 5:17- “Pray without ceasing.”
Why does God want you to pray and praise Him? BECAUSE IT KEEPS YOU CONNECTED TO HIM ALL DAY LONG!!!
I’m talking about a connection to Him that allows you to hear His voice, feel His promptings, have access to His power and be anchored by His peace-even in the midst of the wildest storms.
Do you want that kind of connection to God all day everyday?
YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER, THERE IS POWER IN YOR WORDS
Mark 11:22,23- “Have faith in God, Jesus answered. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.”
Romans 10:8-13- Turn and Read
These verses are the gateway to salvation for millions of people all over the world. How does a person connect with God for salvation? He believes and confesses with his mouth!
LET’S PRAY
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Healthy Relationships, Part 1 - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
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New Life COTR Wednesday May 23, 2007
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
INTRODUCTION: In a couple of weeks we’re going to be focusing on having a Healthy Family.
We’ll begin with the marriage. “Do you want a Marriage that Rocks, instead of a Marriage on the Rocks?”
Life is all about relationships. But countless people are in relationships that need a miracle. Every day we see shattered relationships. Husband and wife, parent and children, sisters and brothers, neighbors and co-workers who aren’t talking to each other, church members who don’t like each other.
Many people are settling for mediocre relationships! Relationship pain continues to grow in America.
Relationships we’re designed by God! It’s a God idea. We were all created with the capacity, with the desire, with the need to have healthy relationships.
You and I will never fulfill our God-Given dreams outside of healthy relationships.
Very seldom do you see anyone who doesn’t want to be connected to others. To love and be loved, to share dreams and hopes, to be valued.
Everyone longs for emotional, physical, and spiritual closeness and intimacy with others. Where does that longing come from? God created us for relationships! How do we know this, let’s go back to the beginning.
Genesis 2:15-25- Turn and Read .
Adam was the first person created. He must have felt in harmony with God and the creation. He had an intimate connection with both.
The Garden of Eden was a true Paradise, a safe place to exist. There was no war, famine or natural catastrophes or sin.
God gave Adam everything he needed: work to do, a close relationship with his Creator, everything he needed to take care of himself.
YET GOD SAID, “IT’S NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE.”
God had also planted deep within the man the desire for an emotional and physical connection, a bonding of the inner spirit, an intimate attachment of the soul called human relationship.
God created woman and the tow became one flesh and enjoyed the Garden of Eden TOGETHER!
They had relationship with one another and with God!
Yet they sinned and disobeyed God and when God questioned them about their sin Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the devil. Neither was willing to take responsibility!
Their relationships were shattered. With God and with one another.
TRANSITION: From this story we learn about what it takes to have healthy relationships.
Three things you must understand if you’re going to enjoy healthy relationships.
1. You are made for relationships
2. You are made with the capacity to choose
3. You are made to take responsibility for yourself
Understanding these three things can revolutionize your life and your relationships.
First thing we need to really understand:
I. YOU ARE MADE FOR RELATIONSHIPS
“Sometimes I feel that I can’t live with her, and yet I know I can’t live without her.”
How often have you heard that said? There’s a reason for that, you were made for relationships. Even when they’re hard and difficult and just plain frustrating. IT’S THE WAY YOU’RE WIRED!
You and I have a longing to belong to someone, to be wanted, cherished for the valued person you are.
Relationships are not an option. From the moment you’re born you’re in a relationship with your parents. Soon you have relationships with brothers, sisters or friends. Then you have relationships in the work-place and develop close friends.
Eventually someone develops a relationship with someone they deeply love.
When a relationship becomes difficult or painful, we tend to dismiss the relationship and may for a while try to abandon all relationships. But eventually we come back and seek connection once again.
While we can choose HOW we’ll participate in relationships, we have no choice about WHETEHR we will participate in them. This is a critical point.
Your only real choice is whether you will work to make your relationships healthy, or whether you will hinder them or enhance them.
You are made for three kinds of relationships. 1. With others- 2. With yourself- 3. With God.
(GIVE DRAWING ILLUSTRATION)
Each of these relationships is not only important but they are all interrelated. If one of these relationships is out of balance the others will be as well.
1. You have a relationship with others.
You are created for relationships with others. But what are your relationships like?
Are they strong, satisfying, nurturing, respectful, and exciting? Or are they disappointing, strained, distant, painful and frustrating? You probably have some of both.
How about the woman on her third marriage? I left him because he had problems. I left the second one because he had problems too. He was better than the first but he had problems.
Now the third husband, he’s got problems too but he’s better than the first two.
THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON. THE PROBLEM WAS HIM! It’s the same game that’s been played for thousands of years
Adam blamed eve and Eve blamed the serpent. Pointing to the other person as the source of the problem!
Do you hear yourself making similar statements about your troubled relationships? DO YOU SEE PROBLEMS AS THEIR FAULT?
This will help you have healthy relationships.
It’s never just about the other person!!!
The problem you have with another person is often the problem you have with yourself.
Usually the pain that another person causes you is coming out of a fear or insecurity you have about yourself.
The problem is how you see yourself. The problem is how we react to what others say or do to us. It’s never just about the other person.
If all you do is place the responsibility for the problems on the other person you’ll continue to have problems with relationships.
Only when you recognize your own responsibility will you begin to find a way out of the problem.
TRANSITION: You were created for relationships. A relationship with others.
2. You have a relationship with yourself
If you’re going to have successful relationships you’ve got to understand the value of having a good relationship with yourself.
Do you have a healthy dynamic relationship with yourself? Are you on good terms with you? Do you think of yourself as important? Do you like yourself? Do you take care of yourself?
There is a big difference between people who think healthy about themselves and those who do not!
Our behaviors and how we think about ourselves affect our relationships with other people.
Psalm 139:14- “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
In all your relationships you must put yourself in the picture. You suddenly have a perspective of your relationships with others.
One of the things you immediately notice about people who have a healthy relationship with themselves is that they take care of themselves.
Their bodies, their minds, their emotions, and their spirits.
Again you must look at yourself through the camera lens. Many are afraid to do that because of what they might see.
TRANSITION: You were made for relationships. A relationship with others, a relationship with yourself and if you’re going to look at yourself and others with the right perspective you need this third relationship
3. You must have a relationship with God
Your most important relationship is with God, the source of all life.
The key to healthy relationships is to understand that we are wired to a direct connection to God.
Remember how we have the tendency to focus on others when we’re having relationship problems.
But we understand now that we need to put ourselves in the picture.
BUT NOW WE SEE GOD MADE YOU FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIMSELF.
He offers you love, acceptance, forgiveness, value, growth, satisfaction, and honor.
He equips you with everything you need for a meaningful life and satisfying relationships.
He offers you life to the fullest!
John 10:10-“….Jesus came to give us live and live more abundantly.”
We were made for relationships. A relationship with others, ourselves and God.
Now we begin to look at our relationships like God sees them.
Rick Warren describes how God sees you in his book, The Purpose Driven Life.
“You are not an accident. Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature…..Long before your were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God. He thought of you first…. He custom-made your body just the way He wanted it. He also determined the natural talents you would possess and the uniqueness of your personality….Most amazing, God decided how you would be born. Regardless of the circumstances of your birth or who your parents are, God had a plan in creating you. It doesn’t matter whether you parents were good, bad, or indifferent. God knew that those two individuals possessed exactly the right genetic makeup to create the custom “you” he had in mind. They had the DNA God wanted to make you… God never does anything accidentally, and he never makes mistakes. He has a reason for everything he creates….God was thinking of you even before he made the world… This is how much God loves and values you.”
Do you believe that description? Do you believe that God loves and values you? Do you know that you are precious to Him?
Do you believe that He accepts you and forgives you? Are you convinced that you are of great worth to Him.
When you have a healthy relationship with God you can have a healthy relationship with you because you see you as God sees you! When you are healthy with God and you, you can have a healthy relationship with others!
ALL THREE RELATIONSHIPS MUST BE IN BALANCE.
God-yourself-others relationships are all part of the Great Commandment.
Matthew 22:37-39 “Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Our relationship with God is the first and greatest relationship, and our ability to love others is related to our ability to love ourselves.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Circumcision: the Cost of Crossing Over - Chris Isaac
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Circumcision: Consider the Cost of Being a Crossover People
New Life Church on the Rock Wednesday 5/16/07
Josh 1:1-9
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide:
2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-- to the Israelites.
3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.
4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates-- all the Hittite country-- to the Great Sea on the west.
5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.
7 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 to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
8 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 written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
(NIV)
I) Introduction: Consider the Cost
A) It was about a month ago the God gave this word to Pastor Ken during our 21 day.
1) Arise and cross over, because the world needs a savior
2) And we’ve been talking about this as it relates to our building our building.
3) And God is saying to us that it is time to arise and crossover
B) And that’s exciting
1) Isn’t it
2) What’s not exciting about it
3) We are going to arise, cross over, and posses the land.
4) How exciting
C) Well tonight I want to share with you a little about the cost of being a crossover people.
Luke 14:28-32
28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?
29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
30 saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.
(NIV)
II) I want to start by quickly looking at three examples from Joshua
A) Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh
1) This is found in Joshua 1:12-18
2) They had asked Moses if they could receive their inheritance on this side of the Jordan
3) And God acquiesced.
4) So that at the time that God told Joshua to arise and crossover, the 2½ tribes were already settling in.
5) But they arose
6) For them the cost of being a crossover people was that they had nothing to gain
7) The point
(a) As we cross over this Jordan, there are some of you out there who are going to step into new ministry,
(b) And God is going to use you, and open doors like you wouldn’t believe
(c) But others of you, like the tribes of Reuben and Gad, have already received
(d) and are crossing over to facilitate others
B) The story at Ai
1) Found in Joshua 7
2) The children of Israel crossed over
3) We know how they attacked and sacked Jericho
4) But the next story is when they approached a small town named Ai
5) It was so small, the city could only afford two letters in it’s name
6) But at the battle of Jericho one man sinned
7) And when the army went up against little Ai, they were defeated because of that one mans sin.
8) In fact the Bible says that 36 men of Israel died.
(a) 36 men who did not commit sin
(b) 36 men who crossed over, but did not personally receive the inheritance
(c) Wow, talk about paying the price
C) The next example is where I want to camp out a little bit
1) It’s found in Joshua chapter 5:2-8
Josh 5:2-8
2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again."
3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.
4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt-- all the men of military age-- died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt.
5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not.
6 The Israelites had moved about in the desert forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.
(NIV)
2) Now this isn’t pleasant to talk about, but my friends there is a price for being a crossover people
3) Now I don’t want to discourage you in telling you that there is a price.
4) Instead it’s my prayer that after tonight you would get encouraged about paying the price.
D) Now allow me to preach for a minute
1) Israel was willing to pay the price for two reasons
(a) They didn’t want to go back
(b) They prize was worth the price
2) Parable of the pearl of great price in the field
3) Peter at the day of Pentecost
4) 3 Hebrew Children
III) What is Circumcision
A) In the natural it is the removal of the foreskin
B) The Hebrew word used for the foreskin is Orlah
1) It means barrier
2) It is also used in describing an uncircumcised heart: Orlas HaLeiv
3) Or uncircumcised lips: Orel S’fasaim
4) Each example denotes a barrier
C) So when we translate this from the natural to the spiritual
1) And we read in the Bible, God calling us to circumcise our hearts
2) He is calling us to remove the barrier
D) Now without getting to graphical
1) In the natural, that which is circumcised is the most intimate place found on the body
2) In the spiritual, God is calling for the removal of the barriers around the most intimate places in our hearts
E) There is a process that takes place in our Christian experience
1) The Bible uses many analogies to describe it
(a) Circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy)
(b) Discipline of the Lord (Hebrews)
(c) Crucible of God’s refinement (Proverbs)
(d) Pruning (Romans)
2) It’s all about something being removed
(a) Being purified
3) It is a part of the natural process for spiritual growth.
4) Both in the natural and in the spiritual God made growth to occur whether you want it to or not.
5) God’s perfect plan (before the fall) in a nut shell
(a) Growing
(b) Fully grown, and thus reproducing
(c) Dead
6) My question for you is, in the spiritual, which one of those three are you
Story about Romania
IV) Observations about Circumcision
A) It’s confusing
1) When a baby is being circumcised he doesn’t understand
(a) What is happening
(b) Why it’s happening
2) In fact do you know who decides who’s circumcised and who isn’t
3) It’s not the hospital, it’s the father, our Father
4) Often times it’s confusing to understand how a God who loves us would be hurting us
5) The answer to confusion is trust
Job 23:8-10
8 "But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him.
9 When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.
10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
(NIV)
B) It hurts
1) I’m not gonna lie to you
2) Do you know why there is not a line of 40 year old men at Baptist Hospital tonight wanting to get circumcised
3) Because it hurts
4) I had a friend who gave up on the Daniel Fast because he didn’t see why he should put himself through it
5) We have some strange thinking in the Church today
(a) We assume if it hurts, its bad
(i) But in the natural we don’t mind working out and exercising
(ii) Even though we wake up sore the next morning
(iii) In fact we’re proud the next morning when we are sore
(iv) But we don’t think this translates into the spiritual real
(b) We think learning discipline in our spiritual lives means we’ve done something wrong, or we’re weak
(i) Anyone here in the army
(ii) Did you have to learn discipline
(iii) Are you proud of that fact
C) Something is being removed (change is occurring)
1) A lot of times we blame God for things He didn’t do
2) Story of Mr. Fowler on the roof
3) The only way to learn to walk, is to walk
4) I used to pray
(a) God help Cheryl and I to better support each other during tough and trying times
(b) And then I would wonder why are we going through all these tough and trying times
D) You must be exposed
1) You are not going to be able to go through circumcision with your pants on
2) You will be exposed and vulnerable
3) It is innate in man to try to hide his sins
(a) God had to go looking for Adam in the garden
4) But God wants to expose us, and our sin
5) And there’s no better place to be
6) The story of Ziporah
V) Conclusion: Responding to Circumcision
A) Don’t move
1) Pastor Ron says “No matter how bad things are, you can always make them worse”
B) Shut up
Job 38:1-3
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
2 "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
(NIV)
Job 40:3-5
3 Then Job answered the LORD:
4 "I am unworthy-- how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.
5 I spoke once, but I have no answer-- twice, but I will say no more."
(NIV)
Job 40:8
8 "Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
(NIV)
C) Hang on
1) Story of Justin at Children’s Church
James 1:2-4
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(NIV)
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Speaking the Word - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
Download MP3 audio
New Life COTR Sunday May 6, 2007
IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD
THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
“Speaking the Word”
INTRODUCTION: IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU. IF YOU WILL PRAY THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU.
2Timothy 3:16(NIV)- “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
The Word of God is a communication from deity!
2Peter 1:21- “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.”
The most effective TOOL you and I can possess to live the Christian Life God has chosen for us to live is THE BIBLE.
2Timothy 3:17- “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
THE BENEFITS OF THE BIBLE:
1. Teaching
2. Rebuking
3. Correcting
4. Training
5. Growing- Hebrews 5:14- “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
6. Overcoming Temptation: 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.”
7. Spiritual Warfare- Ephesians 6:17- “Take the helmet of Salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
8. Seed for a harvest- Mark 4:8- “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
9. Light in Darkness- 2Peter 1:19- “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.”
10. Helps us Prosper- Joshua 1:8- “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 written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
11. It helps us be planted and bear fruit- Psalms 1:2,3: “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.”
12. It leads to answered prayer- John 15:7- “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.”
13. Increases our faith- Romans 10:17- “..faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.”
14. Saves the Lost- 1Corinthians 1:21- “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” Romans 10:13-15- “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
15. Keeps us Pure- Psalm 119:9- “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according your word.”
16. Spiritual Food- Jeremiah 15:16- “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my hearts delight…”
17. It is relevant for today- Matthew 24:35- “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” 1Peter 1:25- “but the word of the Lord stands forever. And this is the word that was preached to you.”
18. It is powerful- Romans 1:16- “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew them for the Gentile.” Hebrews 4:12- “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
19. It is Christ- John 1:1,2,14- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us….”
IF YOU WILL WORK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
TRANSITION: There are many wonderful benefits of the Word. The last for today that I want to focus on
20. The Word will wake the dead. Ezekiel 37:1-10- Turn and Read
IF YOU WILL SPEAK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU!
Romans 10:8- “…The Word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,…”
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 to God.”
“LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY..” IT WILL WAKE THE DEAD!
IF YOU WILL SPEAK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU!
John 11:38-44 Turn and read
The Word speaks to Lazarus four day dead body and Lazarus is resurrected for the grave.
Word will wake the dead!
IF YOU WILL SPEAK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
CONCLUSION: For God’s Word to be effective you must speak it. It is a Spiritual Law.
God’s Word is not void of power. People are void of speech.
No Word of God is void of power, it is only powerless when unspoken.
Mark 11:23- “For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.’
(A word given to Charles Capps) “I have told my people they can have WHAT THEY SAY and they are SAYING WHAT THEY HAVE.”
IF YOU WILL SPEAK THE WORD THE WORD WILL WORK FOR YOU
