(2 Timothy 4:3) For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
(Ephesians 4:11-5) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
If we get Jesus wrong, it doesn’t matter what else we get right.
(Matthew 16:13-17) When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
1. Jesus is the one true
(Colossians 2:9) For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.
(John 1:1-2) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
(John 3:16-17) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
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2. Jesus was Born of a
(Isaiah 7:14) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
(Luke 1:31-35) You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus … 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
(Romans 5:12-17) When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned … 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
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3. Jesus Lived a Life
(Hebrews 4:15) “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”
(1 Peter 2:22) “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
(Leviticus 4:3) If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.
(1 Peter 1:19) Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
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4. Jesus Willingly Became Our Atoning
(2 Corinthians 5:21) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
At the very heart of Christianity is not self-improvement, but .
(1 John 2:2) “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
(John 14:6) Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
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5. Jesus was from the Dead
(1 Corinthians 15:14) And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4) “… Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day…”
(Matthew 28:6) “He is not here; He has risen.”
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6. Jesus is the Soon Returning
(Acts 1:11) “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
(Revelation 19:16) “King of kings and Lord of lords”
(Matthew 24:42-44) “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. … 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
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Who do you say that I am?
(Romans 10:9 ) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rebuild the Altar Part 4
Sacrifice
Altar/OT Sacrifice
Functioning as a temporary means to cover human failure
Old Testament sacrifices were ritual offerings, primarily of unblemished animals or grain, made to God to atone for sin, express worship, give thanks, and restore fellowship
The main purpose was for reconciliation. But we now have Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice so we when talk sacrifice now a days its not so much an effort for reconciliation or to make mends, restore fellowship but it is more of act of worship, gratitude, to advance the gospel, bring glory to God and attention to his power
We are not saved because of our sacrifice we are saved by Jesus sacrifice
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Mark 14:1-9
14 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.
6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
When it comes to sacrifice now its more accurately defined as
Sacrifice is offering something to God that cost us
“You will never stumble into anything significant”
Just like anything else in life if we want to achieve something great we have to give up something of great cost and when it comes to growing closer to Jesus, winning others to Jesus, advancing the message of Jesus in an extraordinary way it’s going to cost us
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The Christian life should be marked by moments of significant sacrifice
Examples-forgiving someone when they don’t deserve it, hosting a small group, giving a saturday, tithing, using your vacation time for a mission trip
If we are are going to step into sacrifice like Mary we have to be willing to give up something that cost us
Axe/Brut (resembles some of our sacrifice) vs expensive perfume the lady used (explain significance of how much it was. The monetary value was nothing compared to the intrinsic value. One scholar said that it could have been intended to pour out on her grooms feet)
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We respond to God’s love for us by giving him something we love
Mary of Bethany knew how much Jesus loved her, that he was God, and she loved him so much and that’s why she didn’t think twice about doing what she did even though there were negative opinions in the room
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Don’t worry about other people’s opinions of your sacrifice
Luke 9:4
4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them
People who do not love Jesus and are not in step with the spirit are most likely not going to celebrate your sacrifice
You can’t understand Christ centered sacrificial living if you’re not living for God so don’t let that deter you
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Romans 12:1
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Is our life aligned with Romans 12:1?
In this series we have been discussing worship its been a big focus but the best thing we can do is align ourselves with Romans 12:1
Songs mean nothing if its not aligned with posture followed up with sacrifice
Ephesians 5:2
2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Are we walking in the way of love? Loving one another, loving strangers, loving foreigners, loving God with all of our heart. If we are then sacrificial living will be a bi product. If we do not love we will be able to act out living sacrificially. Without true love, unconditional Christ centered love there can be no sacrifice.
Jesus went to the cross because he loved us.
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Seize the moments.
Mary seized the moment that she had with Jesus. She wasn’t going to let it slip away. How often do we allow ourselves to miss opportunities to live sacrificially?
God is calling us to break the jar.
When we pour out everything to Jesus we get everything he has for us
We experience the celebration but resist the sacrifice
If you sacrifice I promise you you’re going to see fruit
A farmer does not have a funeral for the seed
You’re sacrifice is a seed of obedience that will sprout into an eternal impact
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Our sacrifice might not make sense to the world just like Mary’s, people are going to have their opinions but we can’t let that deter us from living sacrificially, we have to walk in love, we have to love God and love other sacrificial living will be natural for us if we do this. We have to sacrifice what cost us rely on Jesus as our sustenance We must know that our sacrifice will bring us closer to the Lord and create huge impacts
(1 Kings 18:30) Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down.
(1 Peter 2:9) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
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(Romans 12:1) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
4 Expressions of True Worship
Expression 01. Worship is my
(Romans 12:1) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy …
Worship — Our response to God declaring his worth as he has revealed himself to us.
(John 4:23) Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
✓ Worship is not a matter of but the position of the .
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Expression 02. Worship is my
(Romans 12:1 )… to offer your bodies …
(Luke 22:42) Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.
✓ Worship begins when I release and my life on the altar.
“Worship is the act of aligning our hearts with God’s heart until His priorities become our mission.” – Matt Redman
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Expression 03. Worship is my
(Hebrews 13:15) Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
✓ Worship must us something.
(2 Samuel 24:24) …I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.
Is what I am bringing to God costing me something?
(Genesis 4:2-7) Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
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Expression 04. Worship is my
(Psalm 100:1-2) Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
✓ Worship is a privilege.
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(John 4:23) Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
If you can’t find God, worship him and he will find you.
(1 Kings 18:30) Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down.
(Leviticus 6:13) The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Prayer is with God
(Proverbs 15:29) The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
(1 John 5:14) This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
(Psalm 34:17) The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
(1 Peter 3:12) For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
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Building an Altar of Prayer
1. A of Prayer
(Daniel 6:10) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
✓ Prayer is our first response, not our last resort.
(Matthew 22:37-38) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
(Exodus 33:15) Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
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2. A of Prayer
✓ If you don’t prioritize what matters most, what feels urgent will always take precedence.
(Mark 1:35) Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
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3. A of Prayer
(Matthew 6:5-6)And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
✓ If God is first in private, He will be evident in every other area of life.
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4. A of Prayer
(Matthew 6:9-13) Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
✓ The only wrong way to pray is to not pray at all.
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5. A of Prayer
(Matthew 7:7-8) Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
✓ Keep praying until God answers.
(Luke 18:1) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
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(1 Kings 18:30-32) Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord.
1. A Place of
(1 Kings 18:30-31)Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me” … 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,”
✓ Broken lead to broken
(Genesis 17:7) I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
(Psalm 105:8-10) He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, 9 the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. 10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant …
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2. A Place of
(1 Kings 18:33-35) And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
(1 Kings 18:21) Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
✓ The altar requires , not .
(Matthew 17:17-18) “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.
(Matthew 17:21) However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
(Matthew 17:20) Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
(Hebrews 11:6) … he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(Matthew 6:33) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
(Jeremiah 29:13) You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
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3. A Place of
(1 Kings 18:38-39) Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”
✓ When God moves in power, nothing remains untouched.
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The Path
The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) starts at Springer Mountain, Georgia (southern terminus) and finishes at Mount Katahdin, Maine (northern terminus), stretching nearly 2,200 miles through 14 states
We are all on a journey in this room. This concept of a “path” is relatable to all of us. We are all on a path in life. And the truth of the matter is that our paths are going to take some turns, there will be undeniable supernatural unexplainable moments, great moments, not so great moments but the truth is that God is actively involved in our paths even if we are passively involved with God.
Even when we are away from God, God will make a way for us.
God has a way of intervening. God has a way showing up in our path. Coming in through the window when we least expect it.
Some of us are following the path that God has set for us and some of us may be off the path slightly or even going wayward but even so God is not going to forsake us and he will do everything in his power to make us acknowledge that he is there in the midst of our wondering or waywardness.
Acts 8:26-40 (ESV)
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33
In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[b]
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
For those of us that are on what we would consider the right path currently, in step with God, in tune with his will we need to be aware that
God is going to orchestrate Holy moments
Priscilla Shirer in her book surrender writes:
As we go through the day, we anticipate opportunities. We look for them. We stay on prayerful alert for them, keeping our heads on a swivel for them. We’re not surprised but expectant that any encounter today could shimmer with holy and sacred potential, giving us opportunity to say something, do something, or to be an example to others of what Jesus has made us and called us to be. Our set of tasks for the morning, our to-do list for the afternoon, are surrendered tools in His hand for wherever He says we should go, to whomever He puts in front of us.
True disciples know that there is no such thing as happenstance within the spheres of influence we have been placed.
There are no coincidences on the path God has us on
There will be moments on your path where God puts others in your path and the bridge for them to walk from unbelief to belief is going to be you. Boldly stepping out, telling them. Oh thats someone else’s job. What did the eunuch say? How can I know unless someone tells me? There will be encounters on our path with people who need hope and we have to share that hope and be willing to actively intervene.
It’s not a matter of if that situation will take place but when
Some of us are hindered because of our self perceived weakness
Your weaknesses aren’t hindrances; they are designed to display God’s strength.
Let His grace cover faults: Allow God’s covering to work through your faults, making you usable
Embrace imperfection: God uses “broken vessels,” like stuttering Moses or Rahab with a past, not because they’re flawless, but because they are available and surrendered.
Some of us may not be able to buy into this because we think we’re too weak or maybe were socially awkward and there’s nothing special about us. Phillips was just at the right place at the right time and he was available.
Sometimes all that matters as we forge through this path that God has us on is that we are just available
Ask God to use your gifts
Seek Him to transform your talents into powerful tools for His glory. A few weeks ago we discussed spiritual gifts. Are we using them for our glory or his glory. As we walk down our path we are going to have to decide if we are going to use our gifts ot bring others to him or glory to ourselves
We need to be willing to walk through uncomfortable situations.
Joshua 6:1-7 (ESV)
6 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat,[a] and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.”
We see that it played out the way God said it would. But you’d have to imagine hearing those instructions was hard and actually doing those instructions was even more difficult. And there will be times as we travel down our path just like the Israelites as they marched on Jericho we have to
Trust the process
There will be tests, challenges, pain, discomfort on our path but we have to trust God through it that he is leading the way. Trail hikers go through all kinds of conditions through getting to their destination and it’s no different on our spiritual journey.
But we have to know that God will be with us along the way and see us through. That doesn’t mean we will get a miracle. We may see a situation change but what might happen is that we just get peace internally. Outwardly the situation might not get better and our “need” might not get met.
Your “need” and what you actually need may be different.
What God knows you need may be different
Its not about getting what we want its about doing what he wants
Some of us are burdened by times in our path in our journey where we have made mistakes
God works through “wrongs”:
Delays, setbacks, and things you don’t like are part of His plan to lead you to a greater right, so stop fighting them and trust His control. Maybe your past life and mistakes made you stronger or allowed you to relate to people better. Some of you are on a path of righteousness and sanctification but you are burdened and haunted by your past. So if you have baggage consider it a blessing in terms of being able to be used by God for others.
Your Identity is in Christ:
Don’t let past failures define you; God redefines your identity as chosen, redeemed, and qualified.
Some of us may be on a path away from God.
God is guiding your path even if you don’t realize it
Acts 9:1-9
9 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Even if you are away from God, God will make a way for you.
Your path matters your story matters: God uses every unique story every path (Sarah, Hagar, Esther) to show His power and faithfulness, so don’t discount your own narrative
Whether we are walking with God, away from God, he is guiding us, he is there with us. Some of us are on the right path but we need to be willing to help others like Phillip and the Eunuch. We need to step into using our gifts, overcoming our past stop letting our past prevent us from being used by God, we need to just be willing and available. Trust the process despite trials things we may be encountering in our paths we need to know that God is going to see us through in his timing the way he sees fit
And those of us that are away from God like Paul not even looking for God the Lord is going to intervene. You’re going to get blinded, knocked off your horse. If you persist in your life away from Jesus its not going to be because God didn’t try, its going to take some next level stubbornness because God is going to give you a sign today hes going to show you his glory, that he is real, he’s going to rewrite your story, intervene in your path
The Appalachian trail has a start and a destination no matter who the hiker is, no matter what takes place, the weather, elements, situations the destination doesn’t change
God has a journey for all of us and it may look different for all of us but God has the same destination that he wants for all of us and that’s heaven. Eternity with him. The question is are we on the path and are we doing everything we can to reach that destination and ensure others come with us
As we go into the new year, what does our path look like? Are we on the path of Jesus or are we on the path of destruction. Do we need to heed his call and get on the right path? Are we doing everything we can on the path to get others on the path with us? Are we using our spheres of influence to impact others? Are we allowing past failures, weakness, trials, uncomfortable situations to cause us to veer off and not forge the trail like God intended
(Luke 1:30-33) And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
(Luke 2:8-15) And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
This Christmas, fear not—God has come near.
(Luke 2:10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not …”
(Matthew 1:23) “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).
(Isaiah 41:10) fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
(MULTILINE)
This Christmas, behold—the One who changes everything.
(Luke 2:11) behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
(Isaiah 9:6 ESV) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Luke 2:15) When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
(Luke 2:11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
(Revelation 3:20 ESV) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
(MULTILINE)
Doxology—a short and beautiful eruption of praise, which lifts the hearts of listeners or readers to God’s glory, usually as a final word.
Romans 13—Submit to the governing civil authorities, obey the law, and pay your taxes.
Romans 14—respect people that have different convictions than you, and don’t judge anyone over any issue that’s open to dispute. Also, don’t let your freedom be a stumbling block to anyone.
Romans 15—Live in harmony, and bear with the failings of one another, especially weak Christians. Follow Christ’s example of selflessness.
Romans 16—Paul commends and greets several people, highlights the importance of relationships and unity in the church, and recognizes people who serve sacrificially.(MULTILINE)
A Doxology…
(Romans 16:25–27) Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Don’t miss the moment of God.
√ yourselves.
(Joshua 3:5) Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”(MULTILINE)
√ Be open to and to doing some things differently.
(Joshua 3:4b) …for you have not passed this way before.”(MULTILINE)
√ When you realize God is moving, with Him!(MULTILINE)
(Joshua 3:3) “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.
Holy Ground…
(Joshua 5:15) And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel…the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all…to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
(Romans 12:1) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
(Romans 12:9) Love must be sincere [genuine] …
- Eros – passionate, romantic – characterized by strong desire and intensity.
- Phileo – Friendship – brotherly love
- Storge – family – parent / child affection
- Agape — Selfless, unconditional love, freely given without expectation of return.
(John 13:34-35) A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
(MULTILINE)
1. A Love that
(Romans 12:10-12) Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
(MULTILINE)
2. A Love that
(Romans 12:14-19) 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord.
(1 Peter 3:9 NLT) Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it.
(MULTILINE)
3. A Love that
(Romans 12:13) Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
(Romans 12:20) On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
(Matthew 5:43-44) You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
You can give without but you cannot love without .
(MULTILINE)
Discover the Vision
fallline.church/vision
Pray for the Harvest . Join the Laborers. Plant a Seed.
What are the gifts?
(Romans 12:3-8) 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members,[a] and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,[b] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness
Spiritual gifts are qualities and empowerments that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit give to the people of God in order to make them effective in ministry.
Examples:
- Administration
- Being an apostle
- Discernment
- Evangelism
- Exhortation
- Faith
- Giving
- Healing
- Helps
- Hospitality
- Knowledge
- Leadership
- Mercy
- Prophecy
- Serving
- Speaking in tongues
- Teaching
- Wisdom
(Romans 12:1-2) I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b] 2 Do not be conformed to this world,[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect
(MULTILINE)
How do we steward our gifts?
Know who you are.
Don’t think too highly of yourself
Everyone can be replaced
Take ownership but do not be possessive
To fight against pride, it is wise to surround ourselves with those who know us and love us enough to speak into our lives with words of correction and rebuke
-Paul Washer
We should not think too lowly of ourselves
God is responsible for your gifts
Live in the light of who God has called YOU to be. Not who you’d rather be
Unity but not uniformity
(Ephesians 4:1-4) 4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call
Uniformity=The same
Unity=Together
The greatest teams are interdependent
The body of Christ is interdependent
(1 Corinthians 12:29-31) 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[a]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts
(MULTILINE)
What comes from us using our gifts?
You are never more Christ like than when you serve
When we use our gifts people find Jesus
(MULTILINE)