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New Life COTR Sunday July 29, 2007
WHAT’S GOD’S WILL?
“Keeping it Between the Lines”
INTRODUCTION: One of the most asked questions among Christians is “What’s God’s Will for my Life?”
Life is a series of crossroads, decision points. How do you make all these decisions and them be the right decision.
Is God’s will so specific that if you mess it up it sends a chain reaction throughout time?
Is there just one person God intends for me to marry? If so and somebody messes that up by marrying the wrong person then what?
How can I be sure I’m hearing God’s voice and doing His will for my life? In the next few weeks I’m going to be sharing with you some valuable information that will help you discover God’s will for your life.
I can’t tell you specifically what God’s will but I can give you some very important guidelines that will help you know God’s will. GOD DOESN’T WANT IT TO BE A SECRET!
Through these series of message I can put you in the zone to discover God’s will.
HOW DO WE FIND GOD’S WILL?
THREE CATAGORIES TO GOD’S WILL
(Golf illustration)
1. The sovereign will of God. (What God is doing on the earth.)
God wants you to know what He’s doing in the earth. “On this rock I will build my church.” Jesus is coming back one day!
2. The moral will of God. (What God has already said in His Word.)
Is it God’s will for me to have pre-marital sex?
God is not motivated to give you more information if your not already following what He’s written in the Bible.
3. The personal will of God. (What God desires for my life.)
Psalm 139:16(NIV)- “…all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of tem came to be.”
What if we get off of God’s plan, what does God do next? God has the unique ability to take whatever we add to the book and make the last chapter still fit.
Romans 8:28- “And we know that in all things God works for the god of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
TRANSITION: Get to know God’s sovereign and moral will. In golf it’s called the hazards when you get out of the fairway.
Do you have decisions you don’t what to do? It could be because you’ve gotten out of the lines (fairway) and are now in the hazards.
You can find out if you’re outside the lines by asking two questions.
OUTSIDE THE LINES
1. What am I doing that I should not be doing?
Outside of God’s moral will you have a hard time hearing God. Is there sin in your life?
Romans 6:1,2- “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
God is calling us to holiness. Get rid of the junk and get back inside the boundaries of God’s moral law.
What am I doing that I should not be doing?
2. What am I not doing that I should be doing?
Its sin to not to do the things I should be doing.
James 4:17- “Anyone, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”
God wants us to move toward Him.
To many of us have been living outside the boundaries of God’s sovereign and moral will.
You will never find God’s personal will until you get within the boundaries or the zone!
KEEP IT BETWEEN THE LINES
Proverbs 24:25-27- “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
TRANSITION: Long before you ask God His personal will, do these four things.
1. Give your life to God.
(a) If you’re not sure you’re a Christian your life will never make sense until you connect with God who wrote the book on your life.
God calls people that are away from Him –LOST!
Matthew 18:14- “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”
(b) Some of you are Christians but you still dabble in the world. Part-time Christians.
1Peter 4:2- “As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.”
2. Allow God to transform you.
Allow God to change you. This is called sanctification. God wants to bring you through this process of setting you a part from the world. We need to be transformed.
Romans 12:2- “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
You can be a Christian and never connect with God’s will because you allow the junk of the world to remain in you. We become clouded and never hear God’s voice.
How can I get the junk out? One of the best ways is small groups. Become accountable and correctable.
1Thessalonians 4:3,4- “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable.”
Give God your life and say “I’m living for this.” Some of us are just messing around!
3. Develop your gifts and calling.
God’s will for you is going to be connected to what God’s already up to.
Ephesians 2:10- “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
God has something for you to do. Find out what God has called you to do. Your life will never make sense until you connect with your purpose.
CONCLUSION: (1) Give your life to God (2)Get out of sin (3)Do something with your life, discover your gifts and calling
Then you can discover the ultimate will of God for your life.
4. Give your life for others.
Look at me and hear this: You’ll never be closer to the will of God until you’re making a difference in the life of another person.
1Peter 4:10- “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
You will never be closer to the will of God until you’ve figured out a way to use your life to make a difference in the life of another person.
GOD HAS A WONDERFUL PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE!
1Timothy 6:18,19- “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”
STAY BETWEEN THE LINES
1. Give your life to God.
2. Allow God to transform you
3. Develop your gifts and callings
4. Give your life for others.
LOVE PEOPLE
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Keeping it Between the Lines - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The Most Important Thing - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
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New Life COTR Wednesday July 25, 2007
BUILDING A MARRIAGE THAT ROCKS
“The Most Important Thing”
INTRODUCTION: We’ve spent several weeks talking about BUILDING A MARRIAGE THAT ROCKS instead of having a marriage on the rocks.
1. The Law of Priority
2. The Law of Pursuit
3. The Law of Possession
4. The Law of Purity
If you follow these laws of marriage you can have 100% success in your marriage.
But tonight we’re going to talk about the MOST IMPORTANT THING to having a successful marriage.
John 4:1-26 (NIV) Turn and Read
Jesus is telling the lady, “Lady all your outward trinkets, all the people you have in your life are not going to help you at all.”
You’re drinking from a source that is going to keep you thirsty and coming back for more over and over for the same disappointing drink.
But if you would come to me now I would give you a drink you would never thirst again. JESUS WAS SPEAKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!
He’s saying, “come get a drink from a supernatural source!”
This Story tells us Several Things
1. Jesus has compassion for those who have failed in marriage.
Every single person here has been touched by divorce. Jesus found a person that represents about as low as you can go.
Five marriages broken up and now she’s living with someone.
The point is- if Jesus loved this woman He can love anybody! If He can help this woman He can help anybody!
JESUS HAS COMPASSION ON PEOPLE WHO FAIL! “FATHER FORGIVE THEM, THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING.”
This was not an evil woman, just ignorant and Jesus had compassion on her. No matter what you’ve done, Jesus doesn’t throw people away!
This story tells us that Jesus has compassion on those who fail. The next thing the story tells us.
2. Marriage was created by God and it’s only successful when we honor His plan and presence.
Marriage was not created by government or man. Marriage is God’s domain. The context of this scripture we just read is Marriage Counseling.
Jesus comes to this woman who is totally broken and broken in marriage and He comes to the core issue. He never dances around the issues.
WHAT HE’S TELLING THIS WOMAN IS THAT SHE CAN SUCCEED IN MARRIAGE IF YOU INCLUDE ME!
The third this story tells us.
3. The most important issue in marriage is our personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
There’s no other issue that determines your success in marriage than your personal relationship with God.
WHY?
ONLY JESUS CAN MEET OUR DEEPEST NEEDS!
1. Acceptance- People may reject you but Jesus knows all the dirt on you, past, present and future and He still loves you!
NO-ONE CAN LOVE YOU LIKE JESUS!
2. Identity- Who you really are. Jesus created you in your mother’s womb and He really knows you.
People cannot tell you who you really are. They can tell you who they think you are.
ONLY JESUS CAN TELL YOU WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
3. Security- Only Jesus promises true security.
Am I safe from harm? Psalm 91(NIV) Turn and Read
Am I going to be provided for? Hebrews 13:5-“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
4. Purpose- Why do I wake up every morning? Is it just to get a paycheck? To just exist in life.
Maybe your purpose is for something eternal. To do something significant! Your life means something eternal.
Acceptance, Identity, Security, Purpose.
You see, you have deep needs in your life and only Jesus Christ can meet those deepest needs!
HERE’S THE PROBLEM: It’s called the principle of transference!
Whenever we don’t trust Jesus and our relationship with Him we automatically transfer the expectation of those needs to the people closest around us.
When kids we transfer that expectation to our parents. That’s why so many are bitter with parents.
When adults the number one person we transfer our expectations to is our spouse!
If we get married and we have a personal relationship with Jesus and He meets our deepest needs we are prepared to love our spouse!
If you don’t have this relationship you turn to your spouse and say, I want you to make me feel accepted.
I want you to make me feel like someone. Give me identity.
I want you to make me feel secure.
I want you to give me purpose!
The woman at the well had never worshipped God and had a personal relationship with Him. They worshipped things not God.
That’s why Jesus said, “Lady you’ve got to stop worshipping things and worship God in Spirit and in truth.”
She had never had that relationship with God so every man that came by her she latched on to and squeezed Him hard for acceptance, identity, security and purpose.
Make me feel like somebody. Make me feel special, make me feel secure.
God is not my source, you’re my source and she squeezed that first man, second man and on and on and they couldn’t do it.
Finally she gives up and starts living with a man.
JESUS SHOWS UP AND SAYS LADY, YOU’RE DRINKING FROM THE WRONG WELL!
THE PROBLEM IS NOT MARRIAGE, THE PROBLEM IS YOU!
You’re dry and empty on the inside and if you keep drinking from the same human source you’re going to continue to be thirsty.
Jesus says, If you will drink from me I will give you living water on the inside of and you will never thirst again!
I WILL SOVE YOUR PROBLEM!
You set yourself up for failure when you try to make another person be God to you and do what only He can do. They will always fail but God never fails you!
If you transfer your expectations of the needs only God can meet to another person your relationship is set up for disaster.
Here’s what happens when we transfer our deepest needs
1. You’ll never be satisfied. Nothing will ever satisfy you.
2. You will become cynical and discouraged. You just get frustrated.
3. You become bitter toward people. You live your life bitter. Everyone will disappoint you. Every person has just done less for you than they should have done.
People that transfer their needs to others are easily offended.
Your ability to give is based on what you receive. You can’t love unless you’re loved. You can’t give out unless you’re being given to.
Anyone you become overly dependent upon you become unattractive to. Whenever you are overly dependent on someone they recognize it and immediately back away!
But if you’re confident in your relationship with Jesus Christ.
1. I have a relationship with God. He loves me, He speaks to me and He gives me direction!
2. He’s told me who I am and where I’m going in life.
3. Even if you don’t like me I can handle that because I know God likes me.
4. Even if you reject me, He’ll never leave me.
5. I like you and want to have a relationship with you but if you don’t that’s okay and I can handle that because I know God and God is on the inside of me.
Here’s what trusting Jesus in a daily personal relationship does to empower us to relate to other people-especially our spouse.
1. When you have a relationship with Jesus He heals your hurts.
Psalm 107:20 (NIV)- “HE sent His word and healed us…”
God will heal your hurts. The love of God will transform your life.
The Samaritan woman was healed from being a broken mess and in one day became a fiery evangelist that won here city for Jesus.
You’re not ready to love until you get healed and you get healed when you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
The only one qualified to heal us on the inside is Jesus.
When you trust Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him.
2. You’re filled with His love and have the ability to love others.
Galatians 5:22,23 (NIV)- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Did you know that’s who you want to be married to? You can be that person.
Our you can have the personality of a rattlesnake and some of you do. Some of you are just mean.
In one second of time, if you would let the Holy Spirit come into your life and just say this, “My personality can’t love, would you come in and change me?”
Jesus says, If you will ask me for a drink I will give it! The Holy Spirit will make us into a person who can love like our Heavenly Father.
That’s why each of us needs a personal quite time with God. If you go without prayer you’ll not produce the fruit of the Spirit.
If you’ll trust Jesus and have a personal relationship with him.
3. Our sins and selfishness are changed into Christ Character.
If you can get along with Jesus you can get along with anybody. No-one is more challenging than Jesus Christ.
No-one loves me like Jesus and no-one gets in my face like Jesus.
Jesus says, “Deny yourself, take your cross and follow me.” If you can do that you can do anything.
To have a relationship with Jesus you must be humble and selfless. You’ve got to be a giver, you’ve got to have all those good attributes or you can’t walk with Him.
If you’re not walking with Jesus and your arrogant, rude, selfish, insensitive, dominant and immoral because there’s no-one challenging you or holding a standard for you to follow.
YOU’RE A PROBLEM WAITING FOR A PLACE TO HAPPEN.
CONCLUSION: I’m telling you that a relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important thing in your life! It’s the most important issue in your marriage.
There’s a well of water called the Holy Spirit and when you leave this place the Holy Spirit will go with you wherever you go!
When you drink that water it will fill you and heal you and make you the person you need to be and help you love other people.
When you don’t drink of that water you drink fro a human source that will fail you. It won’t quench your thirst.
THE ANSWER IS JESUS!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Sunday, July 8, 2007
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
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New Life COTR Sunday July 8, 2007
THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS
“The Baptism in the Holy Spirit”
INTRODUCTION: By now it is my sincere hope that you are convinced about the importance of your words.
WORDS HOLD THE KEY TO BLESSING IN MY LIFE AND YOUR LIFE!
Yet we’ve discovered in the Bible that it’s utterly impossible through human willpower and determination alone to tame the tongue.
But let’s suppose for a moment that there’s something available to you and me that not only will help us control our words but also give us power to live a victorious life.
Salvation will deliver you from the hell of eternity but I’m talking about something that will help deliver you from the hell of this life.
Would you be interested in knowing how to receive what I’m talking about?
It’s found in the Bible. I’m talking about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit!
There is a power available to you and me from God that will equip you to live every aspect of the Christian Life more fully and powerfully.
I know it’s controversial in some quarters but I must conclude this series on the Power of Your Words with the Biblical truth of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
TRANSITION: Today we are going to open our hearts to the Word of God and Pray the following scripture.
John 16:13(NIV)- “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.”
PRAYER: Holy Spirit, guide us into all truth through the Word of God, the Bible!
Hebrews 6:1,2(NIV)- “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.”
Notice the writer says, “let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.”
It is God’s plan for us all to be changed from glory to glory to the image of His Son Jesus Christ.
2Corinthians 3:18(NIV)- “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
It is a process that God has already predetermined will take place in your life. It begins with salvation.
Philippians 3:20,21(NIV)- “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
This is that place of full sonship in which are like Christ. The full consummation of the plan of God for our lives here on earth.
TRANSITION: We find a type of what I’m talking about in the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy 16:16(NIV)- “Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No man should appear before the Lord empty-handed.”
1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread-Passover-Salvation
2. The Feast of Weeks-Pentecost-Baptism of the Holy Spirit
3. The feast of Tabernacles-Ingathering-Full Maturity? Rapture
We progress from one level of growth and relationship to another along a predestined pathway that God has designed for us.
We find these steps mentioned in the following verses.
Mark 4:26-29(NIV)- “He also said, This is what the Kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain-first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
1. Stalk-Salvation
2. The Head-Baptism of the Holy Spirit
3. The full kernel in the Head- Full Maturity/Harvest (Rapture)
TRANSITION: God is calling us to maturity. To be more like His Son Jesus Christ. God wants to empower you to live a victorious, triumphant, Christian life here on earth.
Through salvation we are set free from the hell of eternity but through the Baptism in the Holy Spirit we can escape the hell of this life.
Remember Hebrews 6:1,2- “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, …..”
Notice that it doesn’t say the doctrine of Baptism (singular) but the doctrine of baptisms (plural)
THREE BAPTISMS MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. Baptism into the Body of Christ
1Corinthains 12:13(NIV)- “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one Body…..”
Notice here that the Holy Spirit baptized you into Jesus Christ when you were born again.
2. Baptism in Water
It’s a very important step in each believer’s life-so much so that water baptism is part of the Great Commission that Jesus gave to His followers.
Matthew 28:19(NIV)- “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Baptism in water follows repentance for your sins, and acknowledgment and acceptance of Jesus as your Savior.
Water baptism is a tremendously significant experience in conjunction with Salvation.
Colossians 2:12(AMP)- “You were buried with Him in [your] baptism, in which you were also raised with him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God [as displayed] when He raised Him up from the dead.”
3. Baptism in the Holy Spirit
We find all three baptisms in the following scripture.
Acts 2:37-39(NIV)- “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, Repent (Salvation) and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (water baptism); and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (there’s the Spirit’s baptism). For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. It was prophesied.
Acts 1:4,5(NIV) Turn and Read.
2. It came to pass.
Acts 2:1-4(NIV)- Turn and Read
3. We see the Affects
Acts 8:5-19(NIV) Turn and Read
Acts 10:44-48(NIV) Turn and Read
Pastor Cho who pastor’s the largest church in the world says it this way. “When you become a Christian the Holy Spirit becomes a resident in your life. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit the Spirit becomes the president of your life.”
Acts 19:1-7(NIV) Turn and Read
IS IT FOR EVERYONE
Acts 2:39(NIV)- “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are afar off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
HOW DO YOU GET IT
Acts 5:32(NIV)- “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Luke 11:13(NIV)- “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”
WHAT DO YOU GET
Luke 24:49(NIV)- “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Acts 1:8(NIV)- “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
CONCLUSION: This is what John the Baptist was trying to tell everyone in the following verse.
Luke 3:16(NIV)- “John answered them all, I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is for every believer. This step into God’s greater will and purpose for life gives the Believer a supernatural power to be an effective witness for Christ.
It gives us the power to be an overcomer in the earth. To be an ambassador for God in the earth today. To represent God Almighty on planet earth.
IT IS FOR YOU TODAY, BELIEVE AND RECEIVE.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
The Gates of Praise - Pastor Kenneth Woolf
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New Life COTR Sunday July 1, 2007
THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS
“The Gates of Praise”
INTRODUCTION: Some of you know that in August I’ll be traveling to Uganda with “Global Advance” to be part of a team that is conducting a “Frontline Shepherds” Pastors Conference.
One of the team members is a man by the name of David Bell who is the mission’s pastor at Covenant Church in Pittsburg. He e-mailed me recently telling me that he had preached the same message on June 10 that I had preached to our church.
It’s encouraging to hear things such as this because it confirms that God is trying to speak something not to just our church but to Body of Christ.
Another church, Bethel Temple Community Church in Evansville Indiana just completed a 21 Day Campaign called “NO COMPLAINING- Philippians 2:14”
YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER, THERE IS POWER IN YOUR WORDS
When God wanted to bridge the gap between Himself and mankind He sent His Word to do so.
John 1:1(NIV)- “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. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
SO HOW DO WE CONNECT WITH GOD?
John 14:5,6(NIV)- “Thomas said to him, Lord we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
So what is the “Way” to use Jesus to get to the Father?
Romans 10:8,9(NIV)- “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.”
It is Jesus Christ, the Word became flesh, that makes a relationship with God possible. I love introducing people to Jesus Christ.
I love helping people discover the joy, peace and power that comes from spending time in the presence of God!!
One of the benefits of being a child of God is spending time in God’s presence. As a Christian you and I can experience a personal relationship with God!
Exodus 33:14,15(NIV)- “The Lord replied, My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest. Then Moses said to Him, If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
TRANSITION: How can we experience daily this Presence of God?
There is a man in the Bible by the name of Jacob who had a breathtaking dream.
He saw a multitude of angels moving between Earth and the throne of God in heaven. Have you ever heard the term “Jacob’s Ladder?”
Genesis 28:16,17(NLT)- “Then Jacob woke up and said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it. What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God-the gateway to heaven.”
No study on the power of your words would be complete without an examination of the most powerful and amazing thing your words can do.
I’m talking about bringing you into the presence of the all powerful Creator of the universe.
The kind of words I’m referring to are words of praise! Such words are a literal gateway into God’s throne room, or your might say the presence of God!
Isaiah 60:18(NIV)- “……but you will call your walls Salvation and Your gates Praise.”
HOW DO YOU PASS THROUGH THE GATES
1. Open the Gates Corporately.
Have you ever heard the term corporate prayer or corporate worship? It means a group of people coming together to do something in a “united way.”
Corporate praise and worship are a biblical concept. Throughout the Bible God encourages His people to enter His presence through corporate praise and worship.
Psalm 100:4- “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name.”
This verse was addressed to an assembled group of worshipers in Israel during the reign of King David. But it is just as valid today.
If you are in a church service where the congregation is actively worshiping and praising God through music and son you may have experienced how easy it is to sense God’s presence.
You know the Lord is near and you can feel His love!
Psalm 22:3(KJV)- “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”
When we corporately praise the Lord, He shows up and inhabits our praises and makes Himself known to us.
It’s no wonder we often sense His beautiful presence when we come together in worship.
HOW DO WE PASS THROUGH THE GATES
2. Open the Gates Individually
Hears the Good News. We don’t have to wait for a Sunday Service to connect with God and experience the refreshing that comes from His presence.
We can go through the gates of praise as individuals, in our own private times with the Lord. It isn’t difficult to communicate with Him.
1Corinthians 6:19,20(NIV)- “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your Body.”
Because God’s Spirit lives in you, you can worship Him any place any time-and He will inhabit your praises!
The Word makes it clear, “praisers” always get God’s attention!!!
Equally true, grumbling and complaining is a gateway to self-pity and will get you no-where with God!
Philippians 2:14(NIV)- “Do everything without complaining or arguing.”
Only thankful people can march right into His courts and come into His presence through gates of praise!!!!
Psalm 16:11(NIV)- “You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Doesn’t that sound appealing? Fullness of joy! Everlasting pleasures! These are the things you find in God’s presence!
Satan has deceived us and persuaded us to be afraid of God’s presence. Sometimes we thing we’ll find condemnation, criticism and rejection.
But the Bible says we will find pleasure and joy in the presence of God!
WORDS OF PRAISE OPEN THE GATE INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD!
Here’s a truth: Every need in your life can be met in God. No matter circumstance or situation you find yourself in, all you really need to do is connect with the Heavenly Father who loves you.
How do you do that: Through your words you speak to Him.
If you’re in debt, you need to get in His presence and find out His wisdom for financial freedom.
If you’re addicted to drugs, alcohol, tobacco, pornography, you need to be in His presence where you will find the power to break that hold on your body and soul.
Are you on the brink of a divorce? You need to be in His presence and obtain is grace to help you save your marriage.
God’s manifest presence in your life is the answer in these and all other situations you may be facing.
It is an awesome thing to realize that you can enter into God’s presence through the gates of praise and receive what you need from Him.
CONCLUSION: So let’s do that in bringing this service to a close. Let’s take some time and praise and worship Him.
